Hanso's Journal
by Reese S. Quill
Summary: The thief needs a story too, right? So how did Hanso become the oh-so-charming one that saved Neopia? This when he's 7 to 18, when TFR starts. Written with the permission of amethyst3232.
1. January at Age 7

**I better get this clear: This is kind of a companion fic to amethyst3232's brilliant story, "Brynn's Diary," and includes some of the characters in her, and of course neopet's, plot. Yes, I did get her permission (THANK YOU!), so this is basically what Hanso was doing while she was training. After all, the thief had a story too, right?**

**Disclaimer: As much as he tries, it seems that Hanso has not yet succeeded in stealing the rights to Neopets for me. :( None of it or its characters are mine. **

**If this isn't what you read before, DO NOT PANIC! Calmly put down your pointy objects and go read the announcement in Ch. 45. If you already have, you know what to do. ;)**

The Month of Sleeping (January) Age 7

Week 1

I guess it all started with that starving little kid.

I was about three years old, running around in the kingdom of Brightvale after escaping my parents. Now, as their both Master Thieves, I'd mark that as an awesome accomplishment if I were you. Just sayin'. Anyway, I've always lived in that land of books and knowledge, and though I was never really interested in that type of stuff, just about everything is fascinating when you're small. I didn't understand yet why Mom and Dad kept me out of sight whenever guards were around. All they ever told me about the weird men in uniforms was that they were generally mean and don't like them much, so I never talked to them.

So there I was, going around nicking stuff and having a great time, when I see this Mynci maybe about two years younger than me. Okay, I guess he wasn't starving. He was hardly begging for scraps. But the kid looked like he was never full a day in his life, and he was looking so wistfully at a tray of cookies a guard person was handing out. I was great at 'liberating' items, and even if I was caught, it wasn't as if guards harmed kids, right? Anyway, I stole a biscuit and handed it to him.

The kid just stared at me, as if he couldn't believe anyone would do that. I guess what really sticks to me are his eyes. They were the color of golden amber, and when I gave him they cookie, they widened and turned into two round suns. Then he burst into a toothy smile and munched it up. "Thank you," he said, before he left.

I was feeling pretty pleased with myself. I mean, I ran away, I had a great time exploring, and I nabbed a cookie for someone while dodging a guard. Then suddenly a huge shadow loomed over me—the shadow of a grown-up. I thought it was my mom or dad, about to scold me and take me home. But no, it was that guard I thought I had lost. I put on my best I'm-just-an-innocent-kid face—but before I could make an excuse, the guard took of his helmet.

Or rather, _her _helmet.

I never saw a guard girl before. I definitely never saw a _guard_ being nice before. She was actually really pretty, a yellow Zafara with bright green eyes. I especially liked it when she grinned at me and said, "That was nice of you."

"It was nothing." Then I remembered I wasn't supposed to have stolen anything at all. "I mean, what was nice of me? I didn't do anything."

She chuckled. "Nice try, kid, but you're a terrible liar. Still," she continued, smirking coyly. "If you're anything like your parents, no one can get three steps within arresting distance. You're driving them nuts with worry, by the way."

How did she know my parents? I wondered, but I couldn't ask her. A Draik came dashing up to her. "Summer, quick! Code #745!"

"Terrorist attack," she cursed. "Do yourself a favor, kid. Never grow up like that."

"I'm Hanso Laron," I pouted. She smiled even wider at my last name. "I'm not 'Kid.' And I don't wanna be a thug. They're mean."

She laughed again. "I'm Summer Vines." She hesitated, and then looked at me intently with those bright green eyes of hers. "You know, I have a saying I like telling people: Always believe in yourself. But if I'm right about your future, you'll end up being a…" She sighed. "You have a good heart, for a criminal. Don't lose it, okay?" Then she ran off to save a random citizen.

That was about four years ago, but since it's one of the weirdest and most important things that's ever happened to me, I thought I should write it down. I still don't understand what she means. I'm seven years old now, the youngest someone can join the Thieves' Guild. Training starts the week after the next. That's when all my adventures begin, or so my granny says.

Week 2

You know, I was always good as picking pockets. It was just so easy: the person looks away, I see something shiny, and the rest is history. Helps that my mom and dad are both Master Thieves and they practically spoon-fed me thieving skills. In fact, my career had practically been chosen for me since the day I was born. As for me, I just went with the flow. I'm highly talented at thieving, if I do say so myself, and besides, even if I wanted to do something else, my parents are probably too well-known as criminals.

Like I said before, thief training starts next week. I'll be assigned to a bunch of other kids, and we're going to have to work together until we're around seventeen or eighteen. That's when we graduate. Then we could choose either to partner up or do the jobs of our rank alone (depending on what rank of the Thieves' Guild we reach at that point). I'm probably going to stay by myself. What's the use of talking to the other kids?

Training is supposed to be like normal school, except with a few weird lessons that we need to learn and a _lot _of trips to the marketplace to test our skills. Granny Leslie's making such a big deal about it, though. My parents are, too, but I think granny's exaggerating when she told me that my life would be 'filled with excitement' once I _really _join the Thieves' Guild.

"Filled with excitement?" I repeated skeptically.

"Of course," she said with a wink. "A thief's life is never easy, but it's also never boring. There's so many mysteries to unravel, so many things you'll want to know. And if I know you, little grandson, you'll be in the thick of all of it." She smiled. "You get more freedom than a lot of other kids, but at the same time, a lot of restrictions."

"Restrictions?"

She suddenly turned grave. "Throughout your life, you're going to be judged unfairly, suffer all kinds of injustices. Those are your restrictions—no one's going to give you the benefit of the doubt. It's best to make friends when you can." She beamed at me again. "Back to the adventures. You're going to have plenty, and from each of them, you'll learn a lot. You might need help remembering, though…which leads me to my present."

She handed it me. "A journal?" I said, frowning. "But I don't even like writing! I'm not even good at it."

"You're Brightvalean, sweetheart," she said, giving me a kiss. "You're a natural. Besides, if you don't want to write it for yourself, write it for me. You know how I only get to see you every three years or so?" I nodded. Granny Leslie, my dad's mom, is a gypsy, and she's constantly on the road. That never stopped her from adoring me, and it goes the other way around. "I'll want to hear what you've been up too."

"I don't know…"

"I'll give you a bag of candy for it."

"Deal!"

So there you are, the reason why I'm writing this in the first place. I'll do it for the bag of candy…uh, I mean, my granny. I'm going to miss her a lot. Granny, I mean. She tells such cool stories since she's been around the world with my uncles. Dad must have loved Mom an awful lot to stay here. When's the next time I'll see her? When I'm ten, eleven? I don't want to wait that long.

She better have that bag of candy ready.

Week 3

That was interesting.

We had a Master thief Kyrii for a teacher. It was pretty obvious he was good; you can tell by just looking at him that he was used to holding his own in battle, as well as watching other people's backs. He didn't tell us much about himself, only that he'd decided to start teaching a few years ago. He didn't even tell us his name, for some reason.

He told us we were going to go to the marketplace a lot, as well as study a few subjects that would be useful for thieving. Already knew that. What I didn't know was how many subjects were supposed to learn. Besides the normal stuff that they teach at school, we were going to study Ancient Languages, Forgery, Escaping, Potion-Making, History of the Thieves' Guild, and Defense.

They expected us to learn all _that_? How would it be even possible? And how does this spell 'filled with excitement?' Granny was probably trying to motivate me or something, I guess. It didn't work. I was out of there.

"Leaving so soon?" said a scornful voice. It belonged to the black Acara who sat in the back. Despite her being a girl (really, who's scared of girls?), I felt a twinge of fear. Her steely grey eyes glinted; threatening to slice me to ribbons if I dared ignored her, forcing me to answer her question.

But all I could think to say was: "Uh."

She rolled her eyes and leaned back on her seat. "Ah. You're giving up. Typical—from the looks of you when you came, I knew you wouldn't be able to do it."

"Excuse me?" I snapped, firing up. "You don't look like much, either. Where do you come from, the land of black and white?" She was wearing completely dark clothing, matching her against the shadows perfectly. She glared, and for a moment I wished the Kyrii Master hadn't given us our daggers earlier that day. Be nice, a voice said in my head. I sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I'm Hanso Laron. You?"

She arched an eyebrow. Before she could reply, though, the Master Kyrii came at us. "Are you two done?" I realized that the rest of the class was staring at us.

"Sorry," we both mumbled.

The Kyrii sighed. "I suppose I've been babbling too long anyway. Introduce yourselves, everyone, as Mr. Hanso Laron and Ms. Kayley Halvard have been kind enough to do."

"Kayley Halvard?" I said.

"Yes," the Kyrii answered for her. "Congratulations, Miss Halvard. It seems you've already made a friend."

"Not likely," she muttered, glowering at me. What's with her?

We introduced ourselves properly. I said a little bit about my parents and what they taught me. Okay, I guess I said a lot. That might've intimidated some of them, but Kayley just scoffed and said something like, "I judge people how good they are, not their parents." That shut me up. You know what, I don't think we like each other very much.

She didn't tell us much about herself, though we know her parents are thieves, too. She said something vaguely about her learning a few things. She didn't dwell on it much, but apparently she's brilliant at just about all the subjects. Not that I'd ever admit it. She's especially smart about the History of the Thieves' Guild; she vaguely mentioned that she'd always been fascinated about it.

There's Juliet and Julius Capulet, a pair of Wocky twins who eat a bit too much candy. Both of them have brown hair and chocolate-colored eyes. When they're not hyper (which is rare, but I've seen a few moments this week), Julius is quiet but observant, while Juliet's a little more talkative but sweet. They're both actually talented at most of the subjects, but the Kyrii Master has a bit of a grudge against them and refuses to acknowledge it. He's still mad at them for eating his secret stash of sweets.

There's also Razor Medici, a bespectacled Bruce who likes saying facts to sound fancy. During the week it was clear he couldn't do much, but he rivaled Kayley in History and beat everyone in potion-making. It's pretty clear that he never wanted to be a thief; his parents had made him. He's a bit of a klutz, and keeps to himself.

We're postponing Escape Training and Ancient Languages until later, thank goodness. Kayley's shut up about me not being able to do anything—we're both the top of our class, and competing for the best. But for some reason, she doesn't like being in the limelight much. Sometimes I think she's holding back, but I didn't really dwell on it. Served her right when I beat her in stealing a fake gem from the Kyrii Master.

I'm okay with class right now, but they better not give us homework.

Week 4

The Kyrii said that there's something coming up. In May. I wanted to ask him why he was telling us about something that's going to happen three months from now, but I kept my mouth closed. Last time I didn't, and he made me eat asparagus (Which I HATE!). So I shut up.

He said that there's going to be a tournament for the guards and the guild wants to take a look at the new recruits. You know, to study them and see there weak points and stuff. He said that anyone can come, but they have to make it pass the people who are guarding the entrance. We have three months to think of a plan.

I'm a little interested. I've never been to a castle before, and I can't wait to see who I'm actually going to be up against. The Kyrii told us that we're going to have to avoid adult guards, which is a shame, since I really wanted to meet Summer Vines again. Maybe I will, at one point. Anyway, whoever shows up in that tournament will likely be the people we'll be up against for the rest of our lives. How cool is that?


	2. February at Age 7

**Sorry for the slightly late update- my internet connection crashed. Anyway, here's the new chapter!**

The Month of Awakening (February) Age 7

Week 1

The infamous guild leader has finally been able to grace us with his presence. He walked in to the class this morning, unannounced. Kayley was nearly wetting herself, and bowed like he was some sort of king. The twins actually stopped jumping enough to shake his hand. Even Razor took out a poem he made up to recite to him.

He didn't look anything special to me, just a blue Gelert with a scar on his face, mostly hidden by a cloak. But the old Kyrii pushed me up on front saying not to be shy. SHY? I was _so _not shy. To prove it, I went right up to the guy and said, "How'd _you _end up as the guild leader anyway?"

Both the Kyrii and Kayley looked like they wanted to toast me alive, but the Gelert- Kanrik- just smiled this weird, spooky leer and began telling a story. It was actually kind of cool. He worked his way to the top until he became the right-hand man of the leader, and then got sent on a mission to get some treasure. He partly succeeded, tricking this adventurer, Hannah, into telling the location. Then the leader's evil girlfriend, Masila, double-crossed him by ordering him to unleash this monster. He promptly got kicked out. So then he joined Hannah to stop them from getting the "Heart of The Mountain" or whatever. They did it, but Hannah got poisoned. So they went tromping back to tip of the mountain and got her healed by the Snow Faerie. They parted ways as friends, with him the new chief.

At that point I was having fun messing with him, so I said, "Is the moral to try and overthrow your guild leader when you grow up?"

His smile faltered. "No."

"But that's what you did!" I protested playfully.

"That wasn't the point- oh, never mind," he said, eyeing me wearily. "I can see you're going to be a handful someday."

I grinned. "Aren't I a handful now?"

He ignored me and turned to the Kyrii. "You told them about the tournament?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. I can see a few people here that _might_ just make it." Was it my overactive imagination, or did he look at me just a little longer than the others?

Week 2

Valentine's Day is always kind of weird for me. A lot of girls always stare whenever I come near, maybe hoping that I'd give them a card, and my neo-mail is always full. I don't get it. I barely know any of them except Kayley and Juliet, and I'm definitely never going to give something to _them_.

I don't picture myself on ever wanting to give a card to anybody. One time, before I knew what the whole thing was about, I gave it to a girl just because I saw everyone doing it. She wouldn't leave me alone for weeks! At the end I had to yell at her to _go away, _and she looked really hurt. I felt kind of mean, but I didn't want her bothering me.

It's useful, though. Putting on my "charming smile" and saying a few witty comments would distract a lot of females, so I can easily steal something from behind their back. My Dad said that's going to be useful when I got older. When Mom asked how he knew, he just looked away and started whistling.

I mostly spent the day alone, practicing. Being in the training area when you don't have to is no fun (especially if Kayley is there beating the stuffing out of a punch-bag) but it's better than being covered in lipstick.

Week 3

We learned about ranks. I'll list them in order, from the bottom to the top:

1) Pickpocket

2) Apprentice Thief

3) Swindler

4) Pilferer

5) Scoundrel

6) Bandit

7) Plunderer

8) Footpad

9) Blackguard

10) Rogue

11) Infiltrator

12) Brigand

13) Master Thief

The Kyrii said that since we were seven, we started out as pickpockets.

"Does age determine your rank?" Kayley asked.

"No, but it's difficult to jump from your position before time," he answered.

"Jump? We can do that!" The twins exclaimed. Before he could stop them, they hopped from desk to desk, toppling each one.

"That is _not _what I meant," he seethed, grabbing them by the scruff of their collars. "It's how much loot or information that will help you- er, get promoted. Then you get assigned specific jobs, and after that you'll have to mastermind them."

That was interesting. I'm still not really up to working too hard, but then again, what good is being a thief if you're not the best one there is? Besides, being one might wipe the smug little smile off of Kayley's face.

Week 4

The visit two weeks earlier motivated some us to actually make plans, which I guess is what Kanrik intended. The twins each got a crayon and were zigzagging through a lot of paper. It might have made sense to them but all I, and apparently the Kyrii, saw were scribbles. "You call this plan?" He yelled at them. "Do something worthwhile, will you?"

Razor and Kayley are both secretive about theirs, which I guess makes sense. But me? I'm still winging it. Or at least, I think I am. Sometimes, something pops in my head, and I unconsciously start scheming. So now I actually have a basic idea on what I'm going to do. I haven't debated all the pros-and-cons and all the other stuff like Kayley, but hey, I'm a do-and-think-later kind of guy.


	3. March at Age 7

The Month of Running (March) Age 7

Week 1

Not much going on so far. The only thing we did was jog from Brightvale to Meridell and back again. The Kyrii said that it's practice for when guards are chasing us, and for next week, when we're going to the Illusen Day Festival. He said that's going to be our first test- we had to bring something back that we stole. I can't wait!

Week 2

All I can really say is that the party was…educational. Illusen's Glade was filled to the brim with neopets, all dancing or bearing gifts or whatever. We were all told to dress in black, but I came in my usual clothes- a shirt, trousers, shoes, and a jacket. The Kyrii angrily asked, "Why didn't you follow my order?"

I grinned cheekily. "Well, sir, wouldn't wearing black make everyone notice us? It'd be obvious that I was a thief if I showed up like that." I actually just forgot, but I was definitely not gonna tell that to him.

"That's-that's true," he conceded. Not liking to be humiliated by a student, he added harshly, "Next time tell me, got it? We can't all show up looking at fools."

"Yes, sir," I replied dutifully. Kayley glared at me.

The Kyrii said to blend into the background, which we all did easily. All except Razor. Poor guy, you wouldn't believe how many people were staring at him. He was wearing a dark jumpsuit that was probably supposed to give you the appearance of a ninja or something, but he looked more of a dark Tuskaninny.

The twins went right up to the snack table, storing numerous amounts of cream cookies in their mouths. I wonder if it counted as stealing if you've already eaten it? Apparently, Kayley didn't want to take any chances. She headed towards the armory, which we learned earlier was in the base of an old oak tree. I decided to follow her, you know, to see if I can give her some of my charming assistance.

She knocked twice, opening a secret door. She climbed in. Right at the last minute, I ran inside as the portal shut. Then I started searching for Kayley. Finding a black Acara in the dark is a lot harder than it looks, you know. I finally saw her when she tensed up, staring at something. Following her gaze, I saw an Illusen's Blade! That was one of her rarest items. Without thinking twice, she snatched it greedily, muttering, "This'll show that stupid ixi." Hmm, who could that be?

Suddenly, this alarm went off. Roots as big as trunks wrapped themselves around Kayley, nearly strangling her. My first instinct, though I hate to admit it, was to run and help. Luckily, common sense prevailed. I remembered that Illusen was a rainbow-and-butterflies type of Faerie, the kind that would never hurt anything. She wouldn't let even a thief die, would she?

I was right. In a poof of green smoke, she appeared, though not looking as sweet as I thought. For someone who would "never hurt anything," she had the guise of someone feeling pretty murderous. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" She yelled.

"Mdfasdff," she replied, still being throttled.

Illusen waved her hands and the vines let go of her, though Kayley seemed to rather want to take her chances with them than with the Faerie. "WHERE ARE YOUR PARENTS?" She demanded. Kayley gulped. Grabbing her, she snapped her fingers and they disappeared. Ouch. I guess that means an F for Kayley's grade.

That left me in the unguarded armory, able to get anything that I want. If I was careful. I _so _didn't want to end up like Kayley. Luckily I always carried some supplies. In my pocket, I had a plastic bag, which I filled with sand. There were mounds of it down there! Then I reached for the blade-

-And stopped. Something caught in the corner of my eye. Illusen's staff- her ultimate weapon. Was she going to _freak _if she finds out that was missing…and what _big _reward I'd get if I can take it. Changing my course, I soon found the powerful rod in my hands. Grinning, I hid it in my bag and got out of the room.

I'd like to tell you that I presented it regally before the Kyrii, who then made me Master Thief on the spot. I'd like to say that Kayley was forever humbled, and whenever pickpockets all around whispered my name, it would always accompany a sense of awe. I'd like to say I was at least strong enough to make it _near_ the Kyrii before turning back. But I can't.

Because right outside, Razor was blubbering his eyes out. I was kind of surprised. As much as all the kids bullied or teased him, it always seemed to slide off his back. He was never, ever upset. So I asked, "Why are you crying, big guy?"

"I'm not crying," he sniffed. "And I'm not big. I'm thick boned."

"Whatever."

"I can't take anything," he confessed. "Everyone's always watching me. Do you know how hard it is to be- be-"

"Thick boned?"

"Thick boned and a thief. I can't do it. They're always staring, and I'm slow and I'm dumb and-"

"Hey, you're not all that," I said, trying to kind.

"Really?" He said disbelievingly.

"Well, at least you're not dumb." I had to be honest! "You're like the smartest person I know."

"Fat lot of use it is to me," he answered. "Besides, there'll always be someone smarter. All those noble kids and guards get a better education- I can only read books."

"Pfft. I bet you're better than any of them," I promised.

He shrugged. "That won't help me with this assignment, will it?" He looked down, and his jaw dropped. "You- you got Illusen's staff!" He nearly shouted.

"Shh! Keep it down, will ya?" I said, glancing around furtively.

"I'm doomed," he moaned. "You're the best one in class- even better than Kayley- and I'm just pathetic. I'll never be able to steal something like that."

"Sure you- wait. Better than Kayley?" Besides the guard from a long time ago, no one's ever mentioned how good my thieving ability was. I was actually kind of flattered.

"Yeah. And I'm useless." He put his head in his paws. There seemed to be nothing in Neopia that could cheer him up now. "I'll probably be better off as a puppet show man or something."

That did it. "You are not going to be a puppet show man!" I said fiercely. "You're going to be whatever you want to be. Even a thief."

He gazed at me indecorously. "How am I going to do that? I can't even get through this task!"

I looked at him. Then I looked at the staff. Then I looked at him again. Sighing, I did probably the craziest thing ever. I shoved the magical rod under his nose and told him to say that he stole it.

He looked at me, shocked. "I can't do that! I'll be lying!"

"Well, thieves aren't supposed to be honest, are they?" I said irritably. "Take it. I can get another thing; you can't." I was already doing a good deed- I didn't want to get berated for it. Evidently, Razor sensed this and thanked me. Then he hurried away, as if worried that I'd change my mind and force him to give it back.

I ended up doing the same as the twins; getting some of the cream cookies. Unlike them, however, mine wasn't covered in slobber, and at least I didn't get as bad an evaluation as Kayley, who got caught and had nothing to show for it.

The Kyrii didn't actually believe that Razor took the staff all by himself, but gave him a passing grade nonetheless. That made me think about whether he would give credit to me if I was the one who turned up with it. Oh, never mind. It was too late, now. Strangely though, if I had to do it over again, I would.

Week 3

Both me and Razor are keeping our mouths shut about the whole staff business, but I could see that he was dying to tell someone. A sharp face from me, though, kept him quiet. You see, "Thief School" is not the same as any other. When one institution would probably praise me, in this one I'd probably be made a laughingstock.

Week 4

One thing I've noticed about Razor is that he's trying a lot harder in his lessons. In fact, he's third in class- next to me and Kayley. I was right; he can be pretty good someday.


	4. April at Age 7

**Sorry if Hanso was a little OOC in the last chapter- but hey, he's only seven! You can't expect little boys/ixis to be greedy already, can you? :P **

The Month of Eating (April) Age 7

Week 1

April Fool's Day made everyone a little mischievous. So when I announced that I was going to pull a prank on the Kyrii, even Kayley wanted to join in. Mind you, she might just want revenge for the bad grade he gave her last month; she's still not over it!

Early in the morning, I went to the market. I hated getting up early, but today it would be so worth it. Everyone had pitched in; Razor gave the money he earned by working with the bookstore shopkeeper, the twins reluctantly handed over the neopoints they were going to use for candy, and Kayley-

"This better be good," she hissed, before throwing me a handful of coins. When I got back, I was armed with water guns filled with cake frosting and a bucket full of sprinkles. We carefully placed the pail over the door and took aim from beneath a desk. The class was the most silent that I've ever seen it before. You could have heard a pin drop.

A figure stood looming on the doorway. He turned the knob-

"APRIL FOOLS!" I yelled. We all started shooting, covering the person with tons of whipped cream. The Kyrii screamed. I remember thinking that it was weird that he seemed to have such long ears, plus a scar on his face…

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Somebody cried. We all turned to see the horrified Kyrii standing outside the hall, still clean.

"Wait," Juliet said slowly. "If you're not the April fool…"

"Then who's this?" Julius finished for her.

The guy pulled his heavy (and rather sweet) cloak off, uncovering- Kanrik?

Uh-oh. We were doomed. Razor appeared as ashen as he had at the Illusen Day Festival. The twins were trying to hide behind each other. Kayley seemed to want to crawl under the table and die.

"Who," he asked, breathing hard, "Is responsible for all of…this?" He gestured around wildly. All of them pointed to me. Even Razor, though a little guiltily. He drew in a sharp intake of breath. "Hanso. I should have known. Come with me." Not waiting for an answer, he grabbed me by the ear and dragged me through the corridor.

Before I went with him, I've never went that deep in the hideout. It was against the rules. Normally, that wouldn't bother me, but after getting lost twice and a few hard whackings, I had decided to obey for once. He took me to a room, which he told me gruffly was his study.

"Wow," I exclaimed, noticing a huge map. It showed the different branches of the Guild. In the Lost Desert was the Desert Scarabs. In Krawk Island, there were the Smugglers and Pirates. And something else. When I looked closer, I saw an Usul with long, brown hair and a flowing green dress, smiling at the camera with the air of an adventurer. "Is that Hannah?"

"Yes," he replied. "You and she are quite alike. Both of you had no problem to publicly embarrass me."

"We really didn't know it was you," I persisted, trying to worm my way out of trouble. "If we did-"

"You'd have hit your master instead," he completed. "But no matter. Today is April Fool's Day, the one time I allow such follies to take place. What is the point of being a thief if we are restricted to do what are only allowed to normal civilians?"

"Exactly," I agreed, not understanding a word that he said, though suspecting it had something to do with forgiving me. "So I'll just be on my way-"

"Not so fast," he said, striding in front of the portal. "There is one more problem we need to discuss."

"Uh-huh. And what would that be?" I asked suspiciously.

"I believe you gave this," he held up the Illusen staff, "To the student named Razor when you found that he was failing the class. There's no point in denying- he's already admitted it himself."

Busted.

"Thieves don't characteristically give by nature," he said. "You know what I'm going to do."

"Okay, fine. Tell the whole Guild. I'm out of here." I got up and started walking out. The whole thing sucked anyway. I mean, who needed to be a "real" thief? I could manage on my own just fine.

"I'm not going to tell anyone."

I whirled around enthusiastically. "You're not?"

"No. I am fully aware that in doing so I would be making you a mockery."

"So…what _are_ you going to do?" I pressed.

He reached for the pocket inside his cloak- the one that hid weapons. I cringed, expecting something that would blow me up. Instead, he pulled out a small, tin badge shaped like a coin. "I'm promoting you to an Apprentice Thief," he said. "And don't worry- my dagger is in my _other _pocket." He tossed the small object to me.

"Cool- thanks!" I blurted.

Then his face darkened. "As I said, thieves don't give by nature. They can't. Any act of kindness is considered a weakness by both the guards and his peers. I'm only excusing you this once because you are young, but if I ever hear of anything like this again, you _will_ be kicked out of the guild with no hope of returning." I gulped. "But you have a lot of potential," he continued. "I don't think anything will happen to you. Or else." I nodded. "You may leave now."

I scurried outside, practically running to the classroom. Just in time to hear Kayley saying to the Kyrii, "I tried to stop him, sir, I really did, but he was just so flippant…." She wavered when she saw me. "What happened?"

I grinned broadly. "I got appointed to Apprentice Thief."

Week 2

The twins have been pestering me at lunch all week, wanting to know how I elevated to a new station.

"How'd you do it?" They cried, enclosing me inside their little circle. "We want shiny badges, too!" I kept it on my jacket, just to show off.

"Isn't it obvious?" Kayley said, glowering at me. "He obviously cheated. Probably did a quest for Illusen or something. There was no way he could have gotten it from the armory."

I shook my head at her patronizingly. "Kayley, Kayley, Kayley. Is someone getting a little green-eyed today?"

"But she doesn't have green eyes," Juliet pointed out, not getting the joke.

"Figure of speech," I explained. "It means she's jealous."

"I AM NOT!" She shouted. "It was way too hard to get anything from inside the vault. The faerie booby-trapped the whole thing; you would've definitely have gotten caught!"

"But I didn't. I learned from _your_ mistake."

Her eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I just winked at her and grabbed my share of cafeteria mush. I spotted Razor sitting by himself, getting poked in the back by paper balls. When I seated by him, all the wad-tossing stopped. Being an Apprentice Thief gave me a lot of respect, which I soon found out. At least until everyone else gets promoted.

"Hey, big guy," I greeted him.

"Thick boned," he reminded me.

"Right."

He shifted a little, staring at his food. "Are you mad at me for telling Kanrik?"

"Mad? Do I look mad?" I beamed at him, but he still had a depressed face on.

"You still would have gotten more credit if you handed it over right after the party."

I rolled my eyes. "Who cares? Being an Apprentice Thief is great. It actually got Kayley to shut up!" He chuckled a little, and that encouraged me. "If I got any higher she'd probably start groveling at my feet!"

"So we're cool now?" He asked.

"We were cool before. Now, we're awesome!" We both laughed.

No one besides me, Razor, Kanrik, and you know about what really happened with the staff. I think I'll keep it that way. It's nice to know something that Kayley doesn't for once.

Week 3

My glory of being an Apprentice Thief is dying down a little, though I don't really mind. A lot of kids are expecting to get a higher position when the tournament comes around, because it's one of the few chances you have to prove yourself. If you make it, your status automatically becomes increased.

Week 4

Just a few more weeks till the tournament. I wonder what kind of trouble I can brew up before then.


	5. May at Age 7

**Thanks for the reviews! They really motivate me. :D**

The Month of Hunting (May) Age 7

Week 1

I _was _going to pull another trick, but then I decided that everyone was already a bit too edgy to think they were funny. So I'll cut Kanrik some slack. Besides, I'm already on thin ice with him anyway.

Week 2

I don't have any real friends. You might think that's crazy. I mean, I helped out Razor a lot. OK, as much as I like the big guy and all, he doesn't really count. All he ever talks about are the most boring things, like books and petpetpets. Sometimes, I think he'd be better suited to be a scientist or something, but he always points out that he's not good enough. He doesn't even get books as good as the rich kids. See what I mean? Always looking at the down-side.

There are the twins, but whenever I speak to them it's like I'm intruding in their little world. They even have a secret language and stuff! Plus, they're too hyper for me to follow.

That left Kayley, but it would be suicide being buddies with her. She's always so...brusque. Competitive. Once, I asked her why.

"Why what?" She snapped, still practicing.

"Why're you always seeing everyone as, like, a rival? As if you always have to be the best. You could actually have friends if you didn't." _Clang! _She dropped her knife. Oops, that was probably the wrong thing to say. "Hey, I didn't mean-"

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered. "I know. _You're_ Kanrik's _favorite_, and I'll never be as high as you. We'll see about that." She picked it up and started slicing the dummy fiercely, ignoring both me and my apologies. I guess that counted her out, too.

Week 3

I'm not stressed about the tournament. I'm not. Sure, I've been losing a bit of sleep. And yeah, I sometimes get a little freaked out whenever I hear someone talking about their plans. But this should be a cinch compared to the Illusen's Day Festival, right? I'm not worried. Not at all.

Week 4

The Kyrii took as to this huge, marble arena and told us told us that we had to figure out how to go insides ourselves. Then he threw a stink bomb potion at the guards. While their eyes were stinging, he quietly slipped inside. I wish I thought of that!

As soon as he left, everyone took action. The twins made like Meercas and ran between two guards. I guess those zig-zags were part of a plan after all. Razor disguised himself as a poor, old man. As he passed the security, they didn't have the heart to turn him out because he didn't have a ticket. Kayley was even more stealth-like, creeping in behind the already bored sentinels. I tailed her to the courtyard, since it worked so well last time.

Unlike that, however, she saw me. Her eyes flashed. "Go find your _own _way in!"

"Aw, come on," I pleaded. "Can't I tag along?"

"NO!" She shouted.

"Hey, you hear something, Jim?" I heard someone outside ask.

"Yeah. We better check it out."

Kayley tensed and ran for the entrance of the arena. Unfortunately, I wasn't that quick for once. I raced after her only when I heard the sound of footsteps coming, along with the grumbles of the men who probably expected a lazy morning. The instant she got there, however, my ever-so-merciful classmate locked the gates.

"What are you _doing_?" I nearly yelled.

"Payback," she answered, and then sprinted away. Great. Just great.

I hid behind inside a barrel while the guards inspected for trespassers. After awhile, they saw that it was alright. There was a part when one suggested checking the barrel, at which point I was _nearly _frozen out of my wits, but the other declined, saying that no grown-up would fit inside. They soon went back to their posts- locking the portals behind them.

That was just perfect. I had no way in, no way out. I'd be doomed to spend a boring day with nothing to do, which is the third thing that I can't stand (next to asparagus and Kayley). Then I spotted a catapult. That's right, a catapult, left carelessly in the yard.

At first I hesitated, but then I decided, what do I have to lose? I climbed in. Suddenly, I felt really, really afraid of heights. Before I could make myself see sense, I cut the rope with my dagger. In a second, I was flying through the air. I guess some people would act all heroic and look around courageously, taking in an amazing view and landing with a graceful bound. For me, that wasn't the case. The only thing that I could manage to say was: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

Luckily, I fell in a hayloft. Sure, it was itchy, but at least it was soft. I climbed out, with bits and pieces of it still stuck to my fur. No time to take them off, I dashed to the rendezvous where the thieves that made it would meet. All of my class was there, including the much-relieved Kayley. In fact, Kanrik was just checking to see. He looked at them one by one and asked, "Where's Hanso?"

"Oh, he didn't make it," Kayley replied, obviously glad that his 'favorite' was soon going to be out of his books. "He got left in the courtyard-"

"Right here!" I called. Kayley looked absolutely gob-smacked. I grinned at her. "Sorry I'm late. Did anyone miss me?"

The guild leader just shook his head, but I detected a hint of a smile on his face. "I should've known."

"So what are you waiting for? Just hand over my new badge and we'll watch the brilliant show."

He shook his head again. Razor nudged me and whispered in my ear, "You're only allowed to get promoted every three months. Didn't you read the manual?"

"There's a manual?" I whispered back. Darn. I was really looking forward to a new one.

Before he had a chance to answer, we distantly heard the noise of horrible trumpeters as they tried to play the kingdom's anthem. Personally, I thought that it was insult to the whole land; but oh well. We sat and watched the competition.

It was kind of fun watching themselves get beat up, but the strength of some of them was a little intimidating. Razor whimpered when this huge trainee body-slammed the other. Talk about brutal.

If I had to choose one person that stood out, I'd pick this Kougra girl with electric-blue eyes. I mean, she had this big Lupe that was obviously older than her on the floor in a matter of seconds! She didn't get out until a sixteen-year-old beat her, at which she just shrugged and sat on the bench. That was when she took of her helmet. The announcer was too far away, though, so I couldn't hear her name.

Before long, Kanrik stood up and gestured for the other thieves to follow him. I was kinda disappointed, since I wanted to watch till the end. Anyway, we sneaked out one by one, until there was only me. I took a last look at the place- and the Kougra girl- before I skulked outside.

Kanrik was beginning his speech. "You've seen who our competition is, and I admit they are strong. But we are stronger!" He slammed his fist down on a table to emphasize this. "We will rob Brightvale, the whole Neopia if we want to, and not even the new recruits will be able to stop us. Besides, we have a few impressive ones ourselves." Then he winked at me! The cold, elusive leader actually winked at me! And for some reason, that was the high-light of the whole heist.


	6. June at Age 7

**Most of the dialogue of Week 2 and 3 is amethyst3232's, though I also added Hanso's speculation.**

The Month of Relaxing (June) Age 7

Week 1

The Kyrii says that we're going to take a little field trip next week and see what we can do. FINALLY! It's been way too long since I actually exerted myself. There was that tournament, but it was a piece of cake. At least that's what I say whenever Kayley is within earshot. It was so not cool that she tried to lock me out! One day I'll get back at her. Maybe she'd be my next April fool.

Week 2

Well, the little field trip didn't go quite as I anticipated. The Kyrii said that we were allowed to work with each other if we wanted. Then he ran off to get some much-needed alone time from the kids. I was about to head off by myself when a tug on my jacket stopped me. It was Razor.

"Hey, Hanso, um…would you mind giving me some pointers? And staying with me?" He mumbled, embarrassed. "I don't, er…really know what to do."

Kayley rolled her eyes. "Just what we did in class, stupid!"

"Who asked you?" I said roughly. "Come on, Razor. Betcha you'll be brilliant." After two hours and countless unsuccessful robberies though, I was actually kind of inclined to agree with her.

"This is hopeless. I suck." He plopped down a bench, discouraged.

I shook my head. "You only need a little more _confidence _in yourself. It's not like the guards are going to catch you."

"They will. You saw how they were at the tournament."

"So? They weren't that impressive," I lied.

"Right." He gave me a small grin. "How about you show me?" I think he was just giving me a break, since I've spent all my time trying to teach him, but I wasn't going to say no!

"Okay. You watch and learn," I ordered. In ten minutes, I've stolen marbles from a Moehog, a chocolate from a Chia, a juice from a Jubjub, an apple from an Aisha, and a candy from a baby. "Wow, that was fun!" I said, all pumped up. Thieving gets me to be like that. "Now your turn."

"No!" Razor said hurriedly. "I mean, um…can't you do it one more time? I can never get that hand trick that you do."

I know he was just stalling, but how could I resist? "Alright. One more, and then you'll have to take something from at least one person. Got it?"

"Got it," he confirmed.

I decided to go for a guard, since I hoped that it would boost Razor's positiveness. And then- I still don't know how I get caught. Did I slip? Did I tug a little bit too hard? Or was it just fate? All I knew is that I was suddenly staring into a pair of familiar electric-blue eyes, with the Kougra girl gripping my hand.

At first, I was shocked. This was the first time that I actually got caught. All I could manage was a sheepish smile. "Um, hi?"

"Hi," she replied in a no-nonsense voice. I took a moment to study her. Long, reddish-brown fur tied into a ponytail, a beginning suit of armor and a blunted sword, plus a disapproving face. The last one was the only thing she didn't have when I saw her in the tournament. I decided I liked her better smiling. "Why did you do that?" She continued, waking me up from my thoughts.

"What?" I said, playing dumb.

She growled. Mental note: Playing dumb doesn't work with female guards. "You know what I mean!"

I nearly laughed. This was nearly as fun as stealing. "I don't!"

Then her teacher came back. He was a yellow Draik. "Ah, Brynneth, I see you're already catching criminals on your first day," he said, clapping her on the back. "I shall fetch for someone to escort him to the dungeons."

_NO! _I thought. I really couldn't get thrown in jail. We haven't even done escape training yet! Sensing that my only hope was with the Kougra girl, I started begging her with my eyes.

I guess she must have seen it because she said quickly, "No!"

He stopped, confused. "Brynneth?"

"I can handle it," she assured him, holding tighter to my wrist. She started pulling me to the prison.

"So," I said, speeding up so that we could walk in step. "A guard, huh?"

"Yeah," she answered hesitatingly, as if she wasn't sure whether she should talk to me or not. "Why?"

From her body language- clenched fist, tight mouth- I could tell that it was a touchy subject. I changed it by saying, "I'm Hanso. Sounds like handsome." I grinned.

"I'm Brynn," she introduced herself.

I frowned a little. "I swear that guy back there called you Brynneth."

"Well, that's my formal name. You don't really seem a formal sort of guy."

"No, I'm not." It was a short answer, and it probably didn't sound my nicest, but I had a good reason. Behind her unnoticed, Razor was waving frantically at me. He mouthed, "Should I go ask for help?"

I shook my head and mouthed back, "Hide." Instantly, he blended into the background. That's one thing he nailed from the lessons, at least. I cursed in my head. I had to get out of this, fast! A plan formed in my mind. I didn't really like it, but what else could I do?

I turned back to Brynneth- or Brynn, whatever. "So, are you gonna lock me up then?"

"Yep."

"Brynn! I mean, come on! I didn't even actually steal it!" Even to me, my tone sounded whiny.

"You were planning on it, and I've no doubt you've stolen before," she said firmly.

"Yeah, but that was then!" I complained.

"Hanso!" Her voice gained a cutting edge, snapping me back to the real world. That was when I _really_ remembered: She was guard. I was a thief. There was absolutely no hope of us for ever getting along, whether I liked it or not. I instantly shut up, not speaking until she had locked me in the cell. Well, I've succeeded with my plan, at least. I distracted her from getting my lock-picking tools. With one last attempt at good humor, I asked, "This is your first day, isn't it?"

"Yes," she said, turning back from the door. "How did you know?" Like I was some sort of mystical creature.

"Just a guess," I said, offering another cheeky smile. "Bye, Brynn."

"Goodbye, Hanso." There was an apologetic note in her voice, as if she also regretted that we were on different sides.

Week 3

After a bit of waiting, I decided it was high time I escaped. It was easy, really, with my tools. Just a bit of picking, and I was all set. The problems started when the alarm went off and I got lost (Typical!). I hid behind a tapestry just in time.

"Come here, little thief," I heard someone call. For a second I thought that they had seen me, and my blood froze. "Come out, come out, wherever you are." I bit back a sigh of relief. Taking a quick glance from behind, I saw that it was the Lupe that Brynn had beaten at the tournament. Apparently, he was a sore loser. "This'll show that little Kougra who's boss," he murmured, before walking somewhere else.

I bumped into Brynn on the stairs. She was out of breath when she saw me. "How did you-"

"Lock pick," I interrupted, tapping my arm warmer. "You should search for escape tools next time, Brynneth." I chuckled at the expression on her face.

"I'll make a note." She promised.

"Good. Wouldn't want you in trouble, now." I began to go down the corridor.

"Hanso," she called. She pointed to the opposite direction. "The door's _that _way."

"I knew that." I lied. I gave her a sideways look. "Why are you helping me?"

"I've got no idea," she admitted.

I nodded my thanks and ran off down the hall, finally managing to find the exit. So that was how I escaped the dungeons for the first time ever, with her help. For some reason, I had a feeling it wouldn't be the last.

Week 4

I got back just as the Kyrii and Kanrik were discussing on how they could break me out. "So, we planning my funeral?"

"HANSO! THANK GOODNESS!" Razor shouted, and then tackled me in a Bruce-hug.

"Hanso! Hanso! Hanso!" The twins cheered, joining in.

I spotted my parents in a corner, gaping at me in half-mad, half-joyful faces. "You are grounded, mister! Asparagus for a week!" Then they embraced me.

"I knew you would get out somehow," Kanrik told me. Then he turned to the Kyrii. "Yet he took a little _too _long. Teach them escape training."

"Yes, sir," the Kyrii agreed. Even he looked kinda glad to see me.

In fact, the only one who wasn't was Kayley. She shot me a glare. "Great. You're back. And now we have to do escape training because of it."

"You would have had to do it eventually," the Kyrii reminded her.

"I assure you, master, that I'm already an expert on that field," she insisted.

I caught her eye. "We'll see about that on Monday."

"You're on."


	7. July at Age 7

**The dialogue of Week 2 was mostly amethyst3232's. Actually, all the parts that Brynn and Hanso meet up are hers.**

The Month of Swimming (July) Age 7

Week 1

Bleugh. Thank goodness my asparagus diet was over.

The Kyrii said we were going to try something new. "You're going to teach escape training- to each other!"

"What?" We all cried in unison.

"But sir, Kayley is the only one who did escape training before," Razor pointed out.

The Kyrii waved the comment away. "Of course, of course. What I meant to say was that Kayley will teach Hanso escape lessons. Don't look so shocked!" He added, when he saw our faces. "Kayley, Hanso's the best student in our class. I'm sure you'll have no problem teaching him."

"Yes, sir," she said through gritted teeth.

"And Hanso, I'm trusting you not to play any tricks while I'm not around to punish you for them."

"You can count on me."

"Good. Off you go," he said, showing us the way.

The Obstacle Room- which is what he called it- was amazing. I mean, it had every kind of trap you could think of. Alarms, mousetraps, stink bombs, cameras, EVERYTHING! I just wanted to gawp and stare at the weapons for a few minutes, but Kayley cut right to the chase. "So how exactly did you get out of the prison?"

"Oh, uh..." I shook myself out of my reverie. "The guard who locked me up forgot to take away my lock-picking tools."

"I knew it!" She sounded triumphant, for some reason. I had a feeling that around lunch, everyone would know how I escaped.

"Hey," I said, feeling insulted. "I had to distract her too, you know. It wasn't that easy."

"You bet it isn't!" She agreed. "Don't expect it again; lucky things like that only happen like once in a lifetime. You need real, proper skills to get yourself out of there."

"That's why you're here."

She barred her teeth into what seemed to be her idea of a smile. It was creepy. "Right. Let's get to the lessons, then."

It was absolute TORTURE! I had to squeeze in between bars, tap bricks for possible secret passages, pretend to be sleeping and knock a guard dummy out, use anything, and I mean anything, to help me escape- all without being seen from a video-cam. And that was just the beginning! After that I had to learn how to navigate through the palace without getting caught, avoid arrows, swords, and a manner of pointy objects to get to the exit. She even tested me with laser beams! Since when did electric rays get installed in a medieval castle?

I gotta admit, though, it was a teeny bit helpful. Forcing me into those simulations made me have to think of plans quicker and more detailed than before. I guess I improved my physical activity, too, which was never really my strong suit. All that running from imaginary guards really paid off! I even began to enjoy myself at some points.

Even Kayley was baffled at my progress. "Wow. You pick up things _fast_."

I thought it was a compliment, so I grinned at her. "You're not so bad yourself, teach." I was surprised when I saw a troubled frown instead.

"How do you do that?" She asked me, with just a hint of exasperation. "Why is it always so…_easy _for you?"

"You call getting out of a pit of spyders easy?" I laughed, but stopped when I saw her glaring at me. "I don't really know. It's natural to me, I guess, to be good at thieving. Like Brynn's good at guarding."

"Who's Brynn?" She questioned. I cringed. I didn't mean to mention her.

"Just a…a friend, I guess." I hope. "Never mind. Let's get back to how awesome I am at training."

She shrugged. "You're doing well,' she said reluctantly. She had to force herself to give me just one compliment.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the Kyrii barged in. "Excellent!" He exclaimed. "I knew you two would be brilliant!"

"Well, we're not trying to kill each other any more. Right?" I said to her.

"Basically," she replied, studying her dagger. She traced the tip of the blade with her finger. "For now." Her eyes were as cold as metal when she said that. Remembering how merciless she was both a month ago and my training, it was almost enough to make me scared. Almost.

Week 2

One thing I'm learning about being a thief is that things never go as you plan. Ever.

The Kyrii told us that we have to get caught, escape, and meet up back at headquarters. We were going to be timed by how fast we got there, so we had to get moving. I knew just the guard to get me captured.

I found her easily, helping some old Techo lady who spilled her shopping bags. I was tempted to take a few items, but I decided to be focused just this once. I really wanted to beat Kayley.

I tapped Brynn on the shoulder and whispered quietly, "If I were to say I was about to steal something, you wouldn't tell the guards, would you?"

"Wouldn't need to," she replied, cuffing me already.

Hiding a grin, I said, "It was stupid of me to say that, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was," she agreed. "I'm sure a _decent_ thief doesn't warn the guards before they steal something."

I just flashed her a smile while thinking, _We'll see what you say about that later when you find an empty cell. _"You never know. Maybe I wanted you to catch me."

She rolled her eyes. "Hanso!" Her voice was tight with which I guess was supposed to be anger, though I knew she was faking it.

We were almost to the prison, making good time. I tried not to say anything, since I didn't want to slow down. I could tell that she was surprised (and maybe a bit hurt) at my silence, but I really had to go soon. I made a promise to myself that I'd somehow apologize later, though why I would say sorry to a guard, I didn't know.

Then this Lupe jumped out at us from behind a gate. It was that annoying one again! Brynn gripped my hand tighter, signaling that this guy was bad news. "Hello, _Brynneth_," he told her in a sneering way. "I'm surprised _you _caught a criminal."

"Yeah, well, I did." She glared at him. For a moment, she seemed like she wanted to go to the dungeons as much as I did.

"We found out about your hiding place. Grave of some lady," he said with an evil smile. Brynn stiffened. "It actually looked quite nice. Note the –ed on the end."

She took a deep breath, visibly trembling. Then slowly, she looked at me, as if she was asking for permission. I remembered that she was still holding on to me, and that if she went, I had to go too. Momentarily, I wanted to refuse. Couldn't she check whatever it was later? I had a race to win! Still, there was something that made me pause. Maybe it was the Lupe's evil grin, or her shivering hand, but I found myself saying, "If it puts off putting me in a cell, I'm all for it."

She sighed with relief and pulled me round the back of the Guard's base. A memorial ground stood there. It wa all very solemn and serious. She ran between the graves, dragging me along behind her. When she reached a certain one, she stopped.

She started quivering all over, looking like she wanted to cry. She bit her bottom lip. I suddenly noticed why: The one that she was staring at had been completely devastated. The grass, which I guess had once been beautiful, had been all dug up. A vase of flowers had been smashed. On the gravestone itself, someone put graffiti on it with very rude words. Taking a closer look, I saw a name: Summer Vines. It sounded familiar, somehow, though I wasn't sure. All I knew was that Brynn, who usually always appeared so tough, was upset. I wanted to put my arms around her, but I knew that would definitely get her sobbing. The only thing I could do was say, "Are you okay?" It was an incredibly lame question, but sincere, at least.

"Yeah." She wasn't a very good liar.

"Brynn, are you seriously okay?"

She gazed at her boots. "Yeah, I'm fine. Honestly, Hanso. They were just mucking around and…"

"Who was she?" I interrupted. I really needed to know. "A member of the family? A sister, an auntie?"

"No," she explained. "She's the reason I joined the guard. She saved me and my mother from a terrorist while I was still small, and it's that which inspired me to take up being a guard."

When I was still small...Summer….terrorist….it clicked. She was the guard who got _me _to be a thief! And evidently she was important to Brynn, too. I was mad. Positively furious. Grief-stricken. Sad. Confused. Worried.

I don't know- it was just a jumble of emotions. But the one thing that was bothering me was: Why wasn't Brynn doing anything about it? I mean, she had the guy to her feet in the tournament. Why couldn't she do the same now? Then I remembered again that she was a guard. She wasn't allowed to do that, no matter how much she wanted to. And judging from her expression, she REALLY wanted to. Except, she couldn't.

But I could. I breathed out through my teeth and walked off to find that stupid Lupe who'd caused all that trouble. This time, I was the one yanking Brynn alongside of me. She was so dazed that she didn't even argue, though she did say half-heartedly, "Hanso, I should really put you in that cell now."

"In a minute," I replied. "Let me do this one thing." I finally spotted the Lupe, still near the gate where we met him.

"I wish I could see the look on 'er face!" I heard one of his cronies say.

"Man, she'll be crying for weeks!" Another added. Alright, now I knew what I was feeling: Enraged.

I coughed, grabbing their attention.

"What do you want, thief?" The leader asked.

"Brynn," I said, looking at her right in the eyes. "Let go of my arm." It was an order.

"But," she struggled. "If….if you escape…"

"Trust me." I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. Slowly, her grip slackened. For a second I was kind of shocked, but I quickly regained my wits. I strode up right to the guy. He looked down at me, as if I was beneath his notice. Big mistake. I lifted a fist and punched him on the face. When I withdrew my hand, blood was on my knuckles.

Brynn gasped. The Lupe and his friends swore and started cursing me, but I paid no attention to them. I just came quietly and presented my arm to her. "To the dungeons."

She was still shaking when she locked me in a cell, so I asked again, "Are you alright?"

Instead of answering, she told me, "You shouldn't have done that." Then, with just the smallest trace of a smile, "But thanks anyway."

As soon as she was gone, a voice asked, "Shouldn't have done what?"

Razor was in the opposite cell. His face was mournful. "Hi, Hanso." He stared at the door, where Brynn just left. "That is one distracted guard. She forgot to take away your tools _again_!"

"Oh, yeah." I noticed my arm-warmer was still on my hand. So much for the "only happens once in a lifetime" thing.

"I did the getting arrested part alright," he continued. "It was the getaway I was having problems with. Hey, why are you here anyway?" He asked suddenly. "All the others have gone. I thought I was the last one."

I shook my head. "I needed to make a slight detour."

Week 3

Kayley won, of course. She's been gloating about it all week, saying stuff like "In your face!" and "Bet you don't feel so uppity now!" But for once, I didn't care. I actually can't believe that the silly competition even mattered to me.

Week 4 

"You know, Hanso, you'll always be the best thief to me," Razor said. "Just please cheer up!" I gave him a half-smile, not able to tell him what was really bothering me. It wasn't that I hit the Lupe. It was more like I didn't hurt him enough, didn't get to him sooner. There was something else, too, though I couldn't describe it into words. But I couldn't get over it.


	8. August at Age 7

**Kind of smaller than usual, but this part's important. :)**

The Month of Hiding (August) Age 7

Week 1

The stupid feeling kept getting _worse._ And to make it even more horrible, I've been having second thoughts about thieving. Yeah, I know. I always have fun when I'm stealing, I'm good at it, and it's basically the perfect job for me. But…well, it feels wrong, somehow, knowing that Summer passed away. It seemed okay before because I knew, or thought, that people like her was there to guard it. Swiping stuff always seemed like a game to me that way, with whoever was faster or more cunning getting the prize in the end. Now that I know she's gone, all those items look defenseless, and it'd just be sad and wrong to filch them now.

I really have to stop thinking this!

Week 2

Kanrik came to see us again. I guess the Kyrii had a word with him, because he said to me, "Are you quite alright, Hanso? You aren't performing up to your usual standards."

"You mean humiliating you in front of the class?" I asked. He gave a brief nod, to my surprise. I just stared at the floor. "I don't know. I just don't feel like it."

He raised his eyebrows. "You are _definitely _not acting like yourself. Have you been replaced by a clone or something?"

I wasn't used to the guild leader displaying a sense of humor (no matter how bad it was) so I snickered a little. He smiled slightly. "I've told your teacher to give you a break, for now. Just get over it soon. We need at least a few good thieves around here."

That was nice of him to say that, but I don't see getting over whatever it is soon. Ugh…being unfocused, practically letting Kayley beat me- it's enough to drive me crazy.

Week 3

Kayley cornered me after class. She got right to the point. "What is your _problem_?"

"Huh?"

"Look, I don't usually like you upstanding me, but I _need _competition. I can't challenge the rest of these losers- they're way too easy. And don't deny it!" She snapped, when I opened my mouth. "You've got to get your head back in the game. Now tell me what happened."

I was about to refuse to say anything, when I decided, who cares? What have I got to lose? Yeah, I'm a little reckless when I think like that. So I told her how Summer 'convinced' me to become a thief.

"How touching," she said, her voice a little sarcastic. "Now what does this have to do with your problem again?"

I hesitated for a moment, and then also recounted how I recently saw her grave. I didn't mention that Brynn took me there and how I stood up for her- I'm not as mad as that, yet- but I narrated it like I stumbled upon the guard memorial while trying to find someone to put me in jail, when I saw her tombstone all messed up. When I realized it was hers, well- something snapped.

She didn't sound as mean now, though she did say, "You shouldn't care so much for a guard. That's always, always risky."

"Come on," I complained moodily. "She's dead, alright? So it's not a problem."

"Mm-hmm. Well, the emotion that your feeling, if you want to know, is called bereavement."

"Bereavement?"

"It's like another word for grief. It comes in stages, you know? You were sorta in the bargaining stage when we all noticed, probably thinking that if you didn't steal things, she'd come back. And Hanso, you need someone to get this clear: She isn't. Ever." Her tone was firm when she said this, like she needed to convince me. She didn't. I mean, I always knew. Why does she have to repeat the obvious? I was about to tell her so when she said, "I think you're in the denial stage now."

I shut up. Maybe she was right after all.

"I guess you've already passed your anger phase. I mean, I haven't seen you randomly hitting or lashing out at anyone." I shifted a little guiltily. "But now you're in depression. You have this cold, empty ache inside, right?" I nodded. "You know, it might be good for you to visit her grave again."

I shook my head decisively. "No way. It's still kinda too painful."

"Denial," she sang.

"It's not!"

"It is. As soon as you see it, you'll feel better. Really." Now I've been thinking about it, but it still doesn't seem like such a good idea. What if I get caught? I probably wouldn't have enough energy to even attempt to run away. And I don't think other guards would be as nice as Brynn to leave me my tools.

Week 4

Kayley woke me up at four a.m. earlier today. I guess she figured that was the time when I was the weakest. She was right.

"What are you doing here?" I asked grumpily when she showed up at my doostep. "My _parents _aren't even awake yet!"

"I want you to see something."

"But-"

"Please." Hearing Kayley say please is an extreme rarity, especially when she said it with a pleading tone. I sighed, took one last longing look at my bed, and groggily followed her. My senses came on red alert, however, when we got to the guard memorial.

"I told you that I don't want to see it!" I nearly shouted, beginning to turn around.

"No, you HAVE to!" And with surprising force, she gripped my hand and dragged me inside. The gesture strangely reminded me of Brynn. I was about to pull away angrily when Kayley pointed to the tombstone. Slowly, my gaze followed her finger.

At first, I was afraid to look. Eventually, though, I got myself to. And what I saw made me gasp in amazement.

The grave looked peaceful again. A fresh layer of green grass was spread around the ground around it. A new vase of flowers was erected artistically above. The stone monument was pristine and perfect, not a single marking marring its top. Peering closer, I saw a motto as well as her name: Always believe in yourself. I think that cheered me up more than anything.

"I don't know why you made such a big deal of it," Kayley continued. "It looks alright. Even kind of pretty."

"I guess…I guess someone cleaned it up." And I had a feeling I knew who. I sighed contentedly, feeling like a weight had been lifted.

"And so goes the last stage," Kayley said, sounding like a know-it-all. "Acceptance." Then she straightened up. "You will never, ever, tell anyone about this, got it?"

I grinned- the first time I had for more than a month. "Of course."

"Good."

Later that day, I outshined her in every single subject. Based on the glares she's been shooting me, it's plain that she was regretting what she'd done. She was correct- competing with people not as good as her made her lose her edge.

I didn't feel guilty, since I knew that even though Summer wasn't there anymore, the kingdom wasn't _completely _defenseless. There were a few in the guard that still cared about justice; and there was one in particular that I had in mind.


	9. September at Ages 7 and 8

The Month of Gathering (September) Ages 7/8

Week 1

My birthday's going to be at the end of the month!

I'm not very excited about it, though. I never am. That's 'cause we don't do anything. I mean, sure, my parents greet me and give me a lot of hugs (and I mean a LOT), but besides that, nothing. I don't mind; I've gotten used to it. I wasn't even shocked or whatever when my folks said they wouldn't be able to give me the usual stolen present this year.

There's a bout of flu that's been going around in class. Everyone's getting colds, tummy aches, and stuff like that, probably because of the cold weather we've been having lately. Kayley's new to the whole missing-class-because-she's-ill thing. It's driving her crazy, but the Kyrii is forcing her to stay home. At first the twins were allowed because all they had were runny noses, but after hitting the ceiling twice (literally!) they had to go as well. The only ones who haven't been affected are me and Razor.

So yeah, not off to a good start. Hopefully my luck will change soon.

Week 2

Nope, no luck so far. Now even Razor's sick.

"I wish we had some of those Mulberry potions like at the palace," he grumbled. "That'd probably do the trick."

It got so bad that the Kyrii finally allowed me to skip class. "No point since you're the only one here," he said, running his hands through his brown mane tiredly. He needed a break as much as I did.

I decided to get something for my class at the apothecary. Luckily, it wasn't one of the shops that I robbed before, so the Moehog lady that was running it didn't instantly throw me out. She did, however, give me suspicious glances, so I had to wait for a distraction before I could make off with any of the medicine.

One came quicker than I thought. A Kau came, wearing the royal seal on her cloak. "One 'Vial of Fire,' please."

The shopkeeper winced. "Oh, that's nasty one, Selma. I feel sorry for whoever's going to take it. Who is it this time?"

"A Kougra girl," said Selma. "Her name's Brynneth." My ears instantly pricked up. "She has a case of the flu, too. Poor lass, she's missing both her sword-practice and patrol. It's simply killing her." I had to smile at that.

"We all get sick sometime," the Moehog said knowledgeably. "Now, would that be two or three liters?"

Silently, I made my way out of the shop, the potions tucked underneath my jacket. I was a little disappointed by the news, since I planned to say hi to Brynn later. I also wanted to…well, maybe tell her I appreciated that she cleaned up Summer's grave. It made me feel a lot better. Looking back at it now, the idea seems silly. She doesn't know that I met Summer before, and I don't think she'd like the idea of her role model actually 'encouraging' me to be a thief. So I guess I won't mention it when I do see her.

I spent the rest of the day distributing the elixirs that I had. First I went to Razor's house.

It was very neat and orderly, for a thieves' place. His mom was really excited to see me. "He doesn't have many friends, you know. Spends his time playing with dolls."

"Action figures!" He corrected. He smiled at me between sneezes. "Hanso!"

I handed him drug. "Just what the doctor ordered." He drank it all up, and then burped. He was already feeling better. I left him happily reading comic books.

My next destination was the twins. Evidently, they had to be separated because if one got healthy, the other would get contaminated. I had to run back and forth between rooms to deliver messages.

"Tell Julius that I want my teddy back!"

"Tell Juliet that it was mine!"

"Tell Julius that I saw it in the store first and bought it, so that makes it _mine_!"

"Tell Juliet that it was my neopoints that she used, so technically it's _mine_!"

"Tell Julius that I never touched his neopoints!"

"Tell Juliet that I saw her filch some from my pocket the other day!"

"Tell Julius that we're thieves; we're supposed to steal!"

"Tell Juliet that we're siblings; we're not supposed to steal from each other!"

"Tell Julius that we are too!"

"Tell Juliet that we are not!"

"Tell Julius that we are too!"

On and on and on. Eventually I gave up and left it to their parents. They were crestfallen, since they hadn't had a rest for a long time.

Last stop was Kayley's, but I didn't know where her home was. I just gave it to the orange Ixi that ran the bookshop, since I knew she went there a lot.

By the end of the day, I felt like Tarla; taking the hard route instead of the easy path, delivering items to needy people. I was exhausted, crumpling head-first on my bed. Still, I can get why she does it, now: It makes her feel good about herself.

But no way am I going to do it EVER again.

Week 3

I guess all that back-breaking work paid off- everyone was back in class today with no sign of ill health. I'm sure Kayley was particularly glad about this, and she devoured our lessons with zeal. No one mentioned my visits, though, which annoyed me a bit. But hey, we're kids- seven-year-olds aren't very grateful.

Week 4

When I entered the classroom on my birthday, it was all dark. Huh, I was the earliest one! That was weird. Not even the Kyrii was there. I flicked on the light switch from outside and turned the knob-

Only to have this HUGE cake falling down on me! My head popped up from underneath the frosting, still covered with cream.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone yelled. They laughed at the look at my face. Being a thief, I was usually able to see things coming- but this sure wasn't one!

"You didn't actually believe that we'd let you do all that without being grateful, did you?" Razor giggled.

Kanrik stepped out of the shadows. "The cake-falling was my idea. A little payback from April."

"You sure got me, sir!" I licked the icing from my cheeks. "Hey, chocolate! My favorite!"

"So what should we do first?" The Kyrii asked. "Games? Giveaways? Puppet shows?"

"EAT! EAT! EAT!" The twins screamed, already digging in. Even if they weren't obsessed with sugar, it made sense. Having the pastry crash on me, I got myself stuck at the middle of it. I had to literally eat my way out. Luckily, I had my parents and, yeah, I guess I should just admit it, _friends _to help. It was fun.

The only one who didn't join in was Kayley, who watched from her own dark, little corner. I grabbed a slice before the twins could gobble it up and passed it to her. She was taken aback. "What's this for?"

I shrugged, then whispered, "I never really thanked you about last month. You know, about the whole bereavement thing."

"You didn't need to. I got used to it."

"_I _got used to the fact that I never had any parties."

"Oh yeah?" She countered. "Well, no one's ever given me a potion before."

"That person also never got escape lessons," I shot back.

"I made it absolute torture!"

I rolled my eyes. "Stop berating yourself and eat the cake, okay?"

All in all, it was the best birthday I had, ever. The only thing missing was one person- but I didn't think she'd be allowed, anyway.


	10. October at Age 8

The Month of Gathering (October) Age 8

Week 1

My birthday euphoria died out a little, but it was fun. The Kyrii said that we were going to have another to field trip next week, but this time with partners. I have to stay with Kayley, both to our slight irritation. We do get along now, a bit, but we _are_ still rivals. Plus, it's going to be pretty hard to talk to B- er, to a few friends that she probably won't like while she's around. Razor's going to get Julius and Juliet- and the Kyrii master, since they need all the help they could get.

There's this big commotion at the palace. I've heard whispers in the marketplace about it being because of a guard's birthday, the best student in a class. I wonder who that is?

Week 2

"Let's rob the fruit stall," Kayley said, as we walked away from the rest of our group. Razor kept shooting me desperate looks, but all I could do was give him a reassuring smile.

"Fruit stall? I don't think that's such a good idea." After all, that's usually where Brynn usually is. I did _not_ want to think about what would happen if Kayley found out that we were sort-of friends. "I mean, I've robbed it a lot before. Plus, it's too healthy."

"From all the calories you got from eating your cake, you need healthy stuff!"

"Hey, you ate it too!" I countered indignantly.

She shrugged. "And exercised right after. Come on!" She dragged me to the stall. To my relief, Brynn wasn't there yet. Kayley went up to the shopkeeper and gave him a cute-little-girl smile, which she did eerily well. She distracted him by talking about the weather, the Brightvale team for the Altador Cup, how Meridellians were idiots, and so on. With her hands, she pointed at the merchandise, signaling me to steal something.

I grabbed a few goods and put them in my pockets. I was just about to go when-

"You again?" I jumped and whirled around, I guess a little too over-dramatically. There stood a young guard with electric-blue eyes.

"Brynn!" I said before I could stop myself.

Behind me, Kayley mouthed, "You know her?" She didn't look very happy. Ugh, I had no time for this!

Choosing a quick escape method, I burst out laughing. Brynn stared at me, confused. "What's so funny?" I pointed behind her (away from Kayley, of course), and she turned. For a split second I felt a little ashamed, knowing that she gazed away because she thought that I could be trusted enough to stay put. I ran off, still holding the fruit.

Brynn realized what I've done fast; which was good, since she at least had a fighting chance. Wow, she was quick! I used every twist and maneuver that I could, but I still couldn't shake her off. I leapt up benches, climbed into walls, blended into crowds, and she was hot in my heels. I only outran her when Kayley appeared out of nowhere and dragged me into a nearby nook. Brynn ran past.

"Who is she?" Kayley questioned with a not-so-friendly face. I shrugged. "She must be important, for you to be lying about it," she added.

"What? No she isn't! She, er- she's the one who caught be before. Only that."

Kayley rolled her eyes. "Then why did she tell you her name? It would be silly of her to do that. You could use it to track down her family, find out where she is in the castle, sabotage her…"

"Huh? I wouldn't do that!" I exclaimed.

She glared at me. "Why not?"

"Why not? Because…because that would be mean."

"_They_ are mean. They blame thieves for everything!"

"She's not like that."

"How do you know what she's like? I thought she 'only caught you before.'"

My mouth dried up. I couldn't think of any excuses- but I wouldn't answer her, either. She grumbled about it until she found that she couldn't get anything more from me. "Fine, don't tell. Just _stay away from her._" She emphasized the last part by sticking her dagger near my throat. I gulped.

I'd like to say that the rest of the time went without a hitch, but that would be wrong. Nope, my oh-so-generous nature got in the way. Again.

It was nearing sundown. We actually got a huge pile of loot, which Kayley was out storing in an abandoned house nearby. I had just enough time to do one more heist before we had to head back, and my opportunity came when a tired-looking lady Kougra came tromping down the road. There was something familiar about her, but I couldn't say what.

At first I was just going to cast her off. I mean, she looked too poor to be able to carry something really valuable to me. Then I spotted a curious, green glimmer coming from her bag.

In a few moments, a gorgeous emerald necklace was in my hands. The chain itself was silver, which would have given me a months' worth of food. The tear-drop shaped gem? It'd be definitely enough to get me promoted.

"Oh!" The lady squealed. "My necklace- where's my necklace?" She began searching for it frantically, below tables, on benches, everywhere. She even emptied out her pack, which held only a few worn clothes. She was nearly in tears. That's when I saw her eyes; and they were a familiar shade of electric-blue.

She was Brynn's mom.

I was a little shocked. I knew that some guards weren't very rich, that their parents had to save up a lot to get them trained, but I did _not_ know that Brynn was one of them. Still, that didn't mean that I had to give up the necklace. Sure, I liked her a lot, but…my first priority was thieving. I couldn't give it up, just because of someone related to her.

The jewel and chain felt like a hundred pounds in my hands. I couldn't decide what to do. I almost wished that Kayley was back, hauling me to headquarters and telling me that I didn't owe Brynn anything.

Then I remembered earlier, when I tricked her into looking the other way. There was a look of disappointment on her face; not at me, but her. Like she blamed herself for trusting a petty crook. And, well, I didn't want it to be that way.

"Hey, lady, I think you dropped something!" I heard myself say. She glanced up, and then beamed when she saw what I was holding.

"Thank you!" She cried, grasping it tightly, as if scared it was going to fly away. I was a little reluctant to let go of it, but I eventually did.

"Who's-who's it for?" I couldn't help asking.

"My daughter," she murmured. "It's her birthday tomorrow, and I wanted to get her something special since she's been working so hard. I'm going to her party, as a surprise. I don't know what I would've done if I'd lost it." She smiled at me, which resulted into her resembling Brynn a lot when she wasn't using her disapproving glare. "Thank you, young man. You don't know what you've done. Here, have some neopoints." She got out her pursed and fished out a few coins. Well, at least I wouldn't leave empty-handed.

As soon as she was gone, Kayley leapt at me. "WHY DID YOU DO THAT?"

"Do what?" I said innocently, but cursing inside. If I'd known she was watching, I might have acted a little more carefully.

"You _returned_ the necklace! Are you MAD?"

"Look, I hate taking stuff from people who can't afford much. Just shut up about it, okay? We have enough as it is."

Kayley kept complaining, but she didn't say anything to the Kyrii, which I was grateful for. I didn't blame her for thinking I was crazy. I thought so, too. But I don't regret it.

Week 3

I know it was stupid, but…I went to Brynn's party. No, not exactly _in _it. But, taking a leaf out of Kayley's book, I've asked one of the more gossipy servants who didn't know me and found out where she was going to celebrate: The dining hall. Luckily, the window was near one of the places where the gardeners have neglected to tend the grass, so it was easy breaking in and crouching to watch.

Brynn gasped as she entered the room. I guess I wasn't the only one who had a surprise party, too. Unlike mine, though, her cake (which was HUGE and had green frosting on it) didn't fall on top of her.

"It's strawberry icing," an Usul explained to her. She was one of the guards who I watched in the tournament a few months back. "But we know how you hate pink. So it's got green food coloring in instead." I smirked. Brynn never really took me as a girly-girl, so it made sense.

"And that's not even your present," someone else added.

Her mother entered. Brynn's eyes were as big as saucers. "MUM!" The normally dignified girl yelled, and hugged her tightly. I was surprised her mom didn't choke. They stayed like that for a few minutes, ignoring everyone else. I had a slight lump in my throat. Brynn didn't ask for any gift; she was just content to have her mom around. It made me think about my folks, and I suddenly saw how lucky I was. Sure, I had to sleep in a hard bed, get my own food, and a whole lot of other stuff. But my parents always tried to make everything easier, and Brynn only got to see hers a few times a year.

"What are you doing here?" A voice suddenly asked. I jumped, turning to face Kayley.

"What are _you _doing here?" I shot back.

"I asked first."

"And I asked second."

"Fine," she snapped. "I was casing the joint, trying to find a possible way in. For next time, if we have to break inside again."

"So that's how you knew how to get into the courtyard," I thought aloud.

"Now answer my question. Or I will."

"Huh?"

Instead of replying, she pushed me away from the window and looked inside. She drew in a sharp intake of breath when she saw Brynn. "That guard- the one that you knew…."

I made a weak attempt at denying it. "I know this looks bad, but-"

"That's her mother!" She shrieked. "You gave up that necklace for _her_!"

"No, I didn't, I just-"

"You just what?" She put her hands on her hips. "This better be good." I opened my mouth and closed it. I couldn't think of anything good enough to satisfy her. She sighed. "That's what I thought." She threw up her hands and left, stamping her feet.

I went a bit more quietly. I was worried at what she might do, but I decided not to think about it for now. As soon as I got home, I embraced my parents. They were shocked; I wasn't usually the hugging type.

"What was that for, son?" Dad asked me.

Mom checked me over, concerned. "Is something wrong?"

I nearly laughed. "Does something always have to be wrong when I hug my parents? Nah, I just…wanna thank you guys. For everything."

They exchanged worried glances, but smiled at me. "That's alright. You go to bed now." And I did. My last thought was that I hoped that Brynn had a great birthday… and that Kayley wouldn't tell.

Week 4

So far, everything's been going fine, but I'm not sure it will last. I'm also a bit easier to scare. I nearly hit the ceiling when Razor asked for a sharpener. "Are you okay, Hanso?" He asked fearfully. "It's not meepits, is it? Or the thing you got a few months ago?"

I breathed out. "No, it's worse. I might have pushed it a little _too_ far this time."


	11. November at Age 8

**Hope you like the long chapter! :) On the down-side, it might be the last one you'll get for awhile. This week and some of the next, I have final exams and two summer courses that's going to take place on the same days….so yeah, I'm going to be a bit busy. I might not have time to update, but I will if I can. Hopefully I'll be finished next Tuesday, when my last test ends, and can start daily chapters again. **

The Month of Storing (November) Age 8

Week 1

Monday was probably one of the worst days of my life. It started out normally, with all of us practicing how to forge neopoints so realistic and it can trick any banker. Unfortunately, none of us were doing that well. All of the coins looked curdled and dented, not very convincing at all. The trouble started when Juliet put one in her mouth.

"AAAAGH!" She wailed. "This does _not _taste like the chocolate wrapped in gold wrappers! Help! HELP!" Pretty soon, her twin started yelling too, and the whole class was uproar.

"Will you settle down?" The Kyrii snarled. "I've seen worse than this before. Open your mouth and I'll take it!"

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"At least wash your hands first!"

"Ugh!" The Kyrii grabbed both of her arms, only to be grappled by Julius.

"Let go of my sister, you mangy guard!" He shouted.

The Kyrii looked at him indecorously. "What? But I'm not a- OW!" He was hitting the teacher with his fist. Juliet bit the Kyrii's paw until he screeched. Yup, just another day in class.

Until the Lupe came.

He was big and brawny, the kind who you would see in pictures of the Gallery of Heroes or beauty-muscle products. His scarred face looked sly and clever, with blood-red eyes demanding your respect; even if you are being harassed by sugar-rabid twins. The Kyrii straightened up and pushed Julius and Juliet away gently but firmly. He was scowling. "What are _you _doing here?"

He pointed at me. The class gasped. "Hanso hasn't done anything wrong!" Razor cried, to my surprise. He was the last person I'd think of to stand up to anyone this scary.

"Mm-hmm," the twins said in unison.

"I agree," the Kyrii said. "Though he's been a bit of a troublemaker, he doesn't deserve…"

The Lupe barked a laugh that made my blood freeze. "Don't worry; I'm not here for my _usual _business…though if he really is naughty perhaps I will. No, I'm here because Kanrik wanted me to fetch him."

"What would Kanrik want to do with Hanso?" The Kyrii interrogated, keeping a firm paw on my shoulder.

"Beats me. No one ever knows what the Big Bad Boss wants to do. Just what he wants, period. So hand 'im over, and let's get the whole matter sorted, shall we?" The Kyrii growled his denial. "Oh, and did I mention I have a note from him?" The Lupe passed it to the Kyrii. His eyes widened, and slowly his grip loosened.

"I'm afraid you better go, Hanso," he sighed, but not without shooting the Lupe a glare of resentment. "Though I'm not happy with it."

"It's okay, guys," I said to my fearful class. "I'm sure he just wants to praise me for my brilliant work or something. I'll be back in no time."

"Hopefully," the Lupe added.

"Definitely," I countered.

He just shrugged. "That's the spirit." He led me through the corridor in a familiar, old office. It looked just like it had a few months ago except there were a lot more notes on the bulletin boards like there were more problems going on. And Kanrik wasn't even half-smiling. Something told me that this wasn't a social visit.

"Hello, Hanso," he said in a principal voice- strict and contained. "Sit down."

"Actually, I'd rather stand." I backed away from the chair, until I bumped into the Lupe. He gave me a knowing smirk. "On second thought, I guess it'll do me good to rest."

"Do you know why you're here?" Kanrik asked steely. I shook my head. "Well, let's review. Why _were _you here a few months ago?"

I shrugged. "For giving Razor the Illusen staff?"

"For being too generous," he corrected. "For showing weakness. And do you remember what I said if you ever did it again?"

I started sweating, but tried to mask it with a sheepish grin. "Um, I forgot?"

He raised his eyebrows. "You don't forget things, Hanso." He waited, his hand gripping the sides of the chair as if he could barely be contained.

"You, er, would get me back from the cake thing?" I replied weakly.

Then. He. Exploded.

"I SAID YOU WERE GOING TO BE FIRED! BUT I LET YOU OFF EASY! YOU WERE YOUNG, YOU MADE ONE MISTAKE, IT WAS JUST FOR A FELLOW GUILD MEMBER!" When he finally stopped, breathing hard, even the Lupe was a little freaked out. "No harm done."

"Yeah. That's what you said. No harm done; I didn't really do anything." I smiled innocently.

He glowered at me. "Well then, Hanso, I supposed you don't know anything about Miss Brynneth of the Guards?"

"Nope, not a clue," I denied. But I guess I wasn't good enough at that yet.

"Based on my spies' notes, she was accused this morning of being _your _accomplice for bringing down the guards. It could easily have been the other way around."

My jaw dropped. "You think _I _would try to bring down the Thieves' Guild? I'm eight, for crying out loud!"

"But very smart. And Hanso, the Thieves' Guild has many enemies. It wouldn't be too difficult for them to persuade a little boy to join."

I looked daggers at him. "Alright, she got accused. Is that your only proof?"

"No," he answered. "I wish it was; perhaps then you would have gotten another warning. Razor has already commented before how easily Miss Brynneth caught you. Oh, he didn't step forward," he added. "They were simply a few idle remarks. It was Miss Kayley who dropped the bombshell- she saw you greeting her, you returned a necklace back to her mother, and attended her birthday." I remembered in class earlier, when everyone was trying to defend me- and she didn't join in. I instantly hated her again. He went on and on about saying 'how disappointed he was' and 'how he expected better from me' and all the usual adult stuff. I used the time to think of an excuse.

"You done yet?" I asked after about a half an hour. He nodded curtly. "Alright, I admit I did help her a little, but it wasn't because I _liked _her or anything. It was so…I can earn her trust and all. I actually hold a lot of influence over her. I mean, you must have also heard how easily I _escaped, _right?" The lie tasted bitter in my mouth; I hated using Brynn's past mistakes against her, but at least the Lupe and Kanrik were buying it.

"Well, _that _is a plan worthy of a thief," Kanrik considered. "But that doesn't explain how she captured you so fast."

Darn, the one thing I didn't think of. I decided to go with the truth this once. "She was good. Really good."

"She was good," The Lupe repeated. It was the first time he'd spoken since we'd entered; I didn't think I'd like what he was about to say. "Are you sure about that?" I nodded. "Then I propose that we should see how _good _she is next week, Master Kanrik." He turned to him. "If he is fibbing and she's just lousy, we kick him out. If she really is brilliant and all that, we'll…think about it. Fair?"

"Hey, that's not what I had in mind!" I burst out. "I mean, sure she's good, but she can't tackle grown-ups!"

"Tough luck, kid," he replied. He and Kanrik shook hands. "Is that it?"

I looked at him pleadingly, but he only returned it with cold, merciless eyes. "Actually," he said, "Let's call Zida. In case the kid's too masterful for us to handle." They laughed. And just like that, I got sent back to class.

It was ending when I arrived. Kayley had mastered it, as usual, while the rest were still trying to spruce up theirs. They Kyrii sighed and waved them away. "We'll pick up where we left off later- let's break for lunch." Everyone started enthusiastically talking, until Razor spotted me.

"Hanso! Hey, are you okay?" He asked, slightly concerned.

For once, I didn't pay any attention to him. I marched up right to Kayley, who was trying to look at anything but me. "You told."

"Yes."

"Why?" I spat the word out. "What did I- _she_- ever do to you?"

"She's a guard, Hanso," she said, continuing to pick up her books in a maddingly calm way. "She would have been dangerous. I did what I thought was best."

"_Best_? Best for what?"I sneered. I knew I was making a scene. The twins, who were never fascinated by anything that couldn't keep up with them, actually came and watched. But I didn't care. "Me? The Thieves' Guild? Or your _reputation_?"

"All of the above," she replied primly, but with a hard edge this time.

I was seething; the only thing that I wanted at that moment was to wipe that smug little look off her face. But Razor stopped me. "Hanso," he said warningly. His voice was strangely soothing. "Come on. You promised to go to the library with me, remember? Please. Leave it alone."

I shook him off, but agreed anyway. Before we reached the door, though, I turned back and told Kayley, "Just for the record, Brynn was a _much _better friend than you."

And then she pounced. Before I knew what was happening, she landed two blows at my arm; they still sting, even now. She just came at me, slashing and attacking like a maniac. I ducked before she could pull another punch and went on defensive mode, all the while thinking, _This isn't fair; I can't hit a girl! _But it sure looked like I would have to. Grabbing a chair, I pushed it as she tried to kick me. She was thrown backwards to the wall. Scowling, she pushed herself with force and threw herself at me.

"WHAT IN NEOPIA IS GOING ON HERE?" The Kyrii cried, rushing in. Razor had called him, but we were still rolling around. He separated us by grabbing the back of our collars.

"He started it!" She claimed, pointing at me.

"_She _started it!" I yelled, pointing at her.

"I don't care who started it!" The Kyrii shouted. "_I _am going to end it! Miss Kayley, I would never have expected such behavior from you! And Hanso, right after I defended you from that- that fiend! You should be ashamed of yourselves. Do you want me to call the guild leader?" We both shut up then, me because I knew I was treading in thin ice with Kanrik already, and Kayley probably didn't want to damage her _prestige. _"I don't want to see you two fighting again, got it?"

"Yes, sir," we both sulked. He left us then, still muttering stuff about us being worse than a couple of drunk pirates. Kayley ran off, too, without gathering her stuff.

"Okay?" Razor asked. "You know, I did think she began this whole mess. She did it without hardly any provocation-"

"Hey, buddy, would you mind going to the library without me?" I interrupted. "I don't feel like going to lunch."

"Oh. Okay. Sure." He drooped sadly. On any other day, I would've run after him, but I couldn't. I felt like I going to be sick. As pathetic as it sounded, all I wanted to do was to lie in bed while my mom told me everything was going to be alright. I couldn't believe that just two months ago, everyone was happily eating cake off me in that very room.

Week 2

We all met the marketplace; the Lupe, which I learned whose name was Vlade, Zida, a grey, skinny Zafara, Kanrik, and me. I was praying that Brynn was going to be out sick, but no luck. I saw her near the shoe stall with that Usul from her party, appearing very bored. I would have smirked if I wasn't so nervous.

"That her?" Vlade asked.

I hesitated in answering, instead looking at Kanrik. Deep down all that meanness, I was pretty sure that _somewhere _was that guy who liked throwing cake at me. I hoped that it would be enough for him to call the whole thing off, but he didn't. He did say, though, "Don't be _too _hard on her."

"I thought the kid said she can take care of herself," Vlade pointed out. "If it were up to me, I'd give her all I got."

Kanrik glared at him. "We are _thieves- _not murderers. No one gets killed today." My skin crawled; did I hear right? This guy actually killed people?

"But-"

"That mistake nearly cost you before. Don't do it again." Vlade just grumbled and shot me a face that told me he wasn't happy. "Now, Hanso," Kanrik continued. "Lead her to the wall- we'll take it from there."

"How am I supposed to do that?" I tried to delay.

"Get her to try and catch you," he instructed patiently. "Now." Okay, not so patiently. I just took a deep breath, knowing I would hate myself for doing this- but it was a her-or-me situation. This time, I couldn't afford kindness. In plain sight of Brynn, I knocked an old Scorchio lady over and stole her purse, then raced like the wind. As expected, Brynn followed me, along with her friend. I sped to where we agreed to meet, then stopped, still not facing her.

"I'm going to catch you this time," she warned in a deadly voice.

I turned around, trying to hide my worry beneath a smile. "You seem rather certain of that, Brynneth."

"I _am _rather certain about that," she replied confidently.

"Yeah," the Usul added. "Brynn and me could down the whole Thieves' Guild with our eyes shut!'

I grinned again, only this time it was a little genuine. Oh, the irony. "Really? How about three of the best?"

Kanrik and the others stepped out of the shadows. The girls whirled around, hands poised on their sounds. Brynn, however, stood rigidly when she saw Vlade, her face paling. What's with her? The Usul noticed and squeezed her hand. She whispered something to her, and Brynn pointed him.

The Usul nodded and squared her shoulders, as if preparing for something- then ran at Vlade! The idiot! I cursed in my head, especially when all three were attacking her at once. I hoped Brynn would help her, but she was rooted on the spot.

"Aren't you going to fight?" I asked, trying to wake her up. "You don't seem like the kind of person who'd just stand back and watch something like this." She didn't answer, to my annoyance. It's not everyday when the thief has to prod the guard into action. "That guy," I gestured to Kanrik, "He's the leader of the Thieves' Guild."

She seemed to come to herself a little. "And that guy," she said softly, gesturing to Vlade, "I've had dealings with before."

I was shocked, remembering what Kanrik said about him killing people. Dread poured in to me. "When? He's a Master Thief! How do you know him?"

Brynn just kept staring at her friend. She was pinned against the floor, and Zida was pulling his dagger out despite Kanrik's protests. "Say goodbye!"

In that moment, something struck inside of Brynn. Quickly and silently, she put her arm around his neck, placing her sword tip near it. I mentally cheered her on. "How about you say yours?" They turned to face her, astounded. No one, not even adults, probably ever tried to stand up to them together. Then the Usul kicked Kanrik, and all Moltara broke loose.

She jumped up and drew her own sword out, and together she and Brynn cornered them against the wall. The grown-ups all had expressions of disbelief, amazed that two eight-year-olds could get them into such a position. It took all my willpower not to shout, _In your face! _I knew it wouldn't last, though. Sooner or later, they'd recover and the girls would have to pay- and there was nobody this time to stop it.

Then the Draik whom I recognized as Brynn's teacher appeared. Well, I guess _he_ could. "Brynneth! Violet! Thank goodness you're safe!" Behind him, backup of the guards was coming. He beamed at them. "These are some tough guys; I'm pleasantly surprised at how well you've done. However, this is a job for us." Pretty swiftly, they had the three in shackles. Then he glanced at me. "Girls, do you think you can take Hanso?"

I promptly jumped over the wall…leaving the Master Thieves behind.

Week 3

"This is all your fault," Kayley told me. There had been no lessons because all the grown-ups were too busy panicking, not knowing what to do without Kanrik around. Even my parents had to go, and all us kids had to stay inside the classrooms until about seven p.m., when our moms and dads would take us home to rest. Then the same thing would happen the next day.

I glared at her. "How is it _my _fault? Even _I _didn't know she was that good!"

"If you hadn't started hanging out with her in the first place-"

"Shut up, Kayley," I snapped. "You know I didn't. And you were the one who tattled."

"I had to!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

We carried on until I heard one of the twins say, "They're worse than us!" And coming from them, that was really, really bad. We both quieted, not speaking to each other.

Week 4

No news. Kanrik's still in custody; Thieves' Guild still in chaos. We were told we're all going to have to pitch in now that everyone's so busy, though they didn't tell us what to do yet. I hope it wouldn't be too unpleasant. One thing's for certain, though; I wouldn't be seeing either my guild leader or Brynn for a long, long time.


	12. December at Age 8

**Just one more test (next Tuesday) and a few more assignments! This chapter was smaller than usual, but it was all I could cook up during my pitiful amount of free time. Hopefully, by the time the next time comes around, I'd have been finished with school and have written a reeeeeeeeeeeally long one. :) **

The Month of Celebrating (December) Age 8

Week 1

Christmas is coming, and everyone's getting worked up about it. Some people are even considering getting a trip to Terror Mountain just for the Advent Calendar; who could say no to a free Christmas paintbrush? My parents, though, decided to stay in Brightvale to help out. The Thieves' Guild can't afford to lose so many members, especially in the winter. Besides, they told me, everyone's always thought of going there bad luck. That's where the old hideout was. I wondered what Kanrik felt about the place. Sure, it's where the last head was overthrown, but wasn't he the one who did that? And isn't that where he stepped up?

Oh yeah, the guild's still a mess without him. It's weird how just one person- even though he _is _the guild leader- could mean so much. It's also a bit annoying. I mean, can't we just move _on_? And I'm not just saying that because I'm still mad at Kanrik or feel even the tiniest guilty that he's captured.

I'm not.

Really.

Week 2

The first snow fell this year. I know that some people think Brightvale is always green and stuff because that's how it's always shown in the pictures, but it isn't true. They have a good reason for not showing any photographs, though. Unlike the piercing, pure beauty of the ice countries up north, the kingdom just looks plain miserable in December.

But like the kids that we really are, we went wild for it anyway, pressing our faces to the window when we saw the first snowflakes. Finally, the Kyrii dismissed us with a wave of his hand, saying that it _does_ only come once a year. There were too few shoppers to rob to make a field trip, so this was really free time. We immediately started snowball fighting. It didn't matter which side we were on; we were just having fun!

Even Kayley seemed to be enjoying it for awhile. I decided then that it was a good time talk to her- I still hadn't since the _incident _when she pounced on me. I started off our cheerful conversation by nailing her with a clump of snow. She cringed, even though she and the twins have been exchanging ice grenades for half-an-hour. "What'd you that for?"

I stared at her. "It's snowball _fighting_. What, you've never gotten hit?"

A ghost of a smile appeared on her face, and she held up her arms and twirled around. Besides the spot where I pelted her, she was completely spotless. "Nope."

"Woah." I gaped. Then I shook my head. "Well, it's an _honor _being the first." I gave her a mock bow. She rolled her eyes. "Seriously, though, you should get snowballed more often. It takes the fun out of it by getting away all the time."

"I can't." She suddenly looked very uncomfortable.

"Why not?" I teased. "Too high up to get pummeled by a common piece of ice?"

"I just can't, okay? It's cold." She glared at me suddenly. "Why are you here, anyway? Have you come to apologize?"

Despite the fierce wind, my face burned. "Me? Apologize? As if! _You're_ the one who should be saying sorry to _me._"

"For what? I did you a favor. No good would have come out of that little _friendship_, if she even thought of it as that."

"So?" I spat out. "It was none of your business."

"It was _all _of my business. And don't you even feel some _remorse _for what happened on that stupid field trip when Kanrik had to come with you-"

"After _you_ ratted me out!"

"-And think of how he might be feeling right now. It's freezing in the dungeons at the best of times. What about in the winter? Ever thought of that? Huh?" With that, she walked away. I'd have liked to give her some biting comment in return, but I just couldn't get that picture out of my head. I couldn't even play with the snow anymore, thinking how chilly Kanrik would be; probably as frosty as Kayley's heart.

Week 3

Everyone who didn't leave Brightvale had to go to this Christmas feast that the Guild hosted every year. Up till now, my parents always left me with a sitter at those nights (which who I usually escape and eventually come back to just before Mom and Dad arrive home), but since I'm an official member they had to bring me along. It was really irritating with them fussing on me over dinner. It began with a speech, led by this Skeith who was Kanriks fourth-in-command:

"As you probably know by now, our faithful leader has been caught and is currently residing in a maximum security prison. Don't worry, we'll get him out somehow, but for now he would want us to delight in this lovely feast which brings together so many people from our Guild."

I didn't like the way they made him sound, as if he was dead. Not one bit.

I was hoping to meet a few people not from my class, but no such luck. All year long I've been, well, _confined _to the same four people: Razor, the twins, and Kayley. Besides the last one, they really are good pals, but they do get a bit bothersome. I guess those are a few reasons why I liked Brynn a lot: She was someone I didn't see every single day, someone equally as skillful (though in a guard way- it wouldn't be good for her if she was a thief!), and someone who needed a friend just as much as I did.

Week 4

The sun came out on New Years' Day, which was a relief. The clouds looked pretty at first and it was nice getting away from the bright glare, but I began missing it after a bit. I was on top of Brightvale's many hills when it happened. I'd been feeling kinda restless since class was out for the day, so I climbed on top of one. It didn't take me long to realize that I'd never done it before because I was too lazy; I was already puffing before the half-way point. But I'd made it that far, and I'm not one to give up.

When I reached the tip, I was amazed. A shower of light burst through the fluffy water-vapor and hit the white-capped kingdom, making both the snow and the stained glass sparkle. Making it seem more precious than the rarest gem. For the first time, I knew why they finally called it "Brightvale."

Another thing that was cool about it was that the view didn't stop at the gates. It traveled from miles around, up until forever. I could see tiny traders walking along the main road up to Meridell. I could see some toy ships going full-steam ahead to Krawk Island. It was awesome- it made me remember that the world wasn't confined inside the city walls. One day, it'd definitely be cool to explore Neopia. Still, I reasoned, I just barely survived my first year as a thief. I guess I'll wait for awhile before I take on the big sharks- but for now I have smaller fish to fry.


	13. January at Age 8

**Well, it looks like I **_**do **_**have enough time for a few chapters. Here's the next one!**

The Month of Sleeping (January) Age 8

Week 1

Today at class, the Kyrii ordered us to write resolutions and hopes for this year. Then we had to share them. Kayley grumbled about this, saying that hers was personal. The Kyrii looked over to see what she was writing and raised his eyebrows, but he told her she didn't have to share. "Alright, Hanso, you start."

"Do I have to?" I whined, stalling.

"Yes," he replied.

"But mine's _personal_." I looked at Kayley as I said this.

He rolled his eyes. "Just get on with it."

I sighed exaggeratedly. "Okay, my resolution: Make a few new friends."

Razor scrunched up his eyebrows. "Why? Don't you like us anymore?"

"Yes! I mean, no! I mean, of course I like you guys, but…we haven't met a lot of people, have we? No one else from the other classes or whatever. But isn't like the whole Guild about helping each other with stealing and stuff?"

"You have a point," the Kyrii commented. He had a thoughtful look on his face. "Your hope?"

"Hope? Oh, yeah. Um, I hope Kanrik gets out of prison." What I didn't add was that I also hoped that me and Brynn can be friends. And that Kayley would stop being so…interfering.

"My resolution is to be a better thief," Razor said. "I think I've been relying on Hanso a little too much." He gave me a small smile. "My hope is that we could all _get along _this year."

"That's fine. Now, the twins-"

Julius jumped to it before he could finish his sentence. "Resolution: Be nicer to everyone! Hope: Get more candy!"

The Kyrii sighed when he heard the last one. "This year's going to be _fantastic,_" he muttered. "Now let's-"

"Wait," Juliet interrupted. "I haven't read mine yet." We all turned to her, slightly shocked. She's never really spoken by herself before, besides the whole 'tell Julius this' thing. Even her twin slightly taken aback.

"Er, alright, Juliet. You can share."

She took a deep breath. "My resolution this year is to….to spend less time with Julius. Hey, don't look at me like that!" She said defensively. "Everyone always thinks what _he _wants is what I want, what _he _does is what I do. Even now, you expected us to speak together." She bit her lip. "Being 'Julius and Juliet,' and being a twin in general is great and all, but no one knows who just Juliet is. I want to find out." There was a long silence after her outburst, and she broke it by only saying, "I also kinda hope that we get served more cookies in lunch!"

Even though it wasn't that funny, everyone laughed. I guess it was to release all that nervous tension. You know what, I think she's right: I don't really know who Juliet is. It'd be nice to find out.

Week 2

The Kyrii dropped the bombshell on us today. We were going to have to baby-sit.

"WHAT?" We all cried in unison. If there was one thing that the entire class can agree on, is that taking care of children younger than us is a big no-no.

"Each person in the guild has to help out, now that Kanrik's gone," he announced. "I actually got the idea from Hanso's resolution when he said he wanted to meet more people from the guild." They all shot me glares.

"That was _not _what I had in mind. And Kanrik's not gone," I mumbled. "Just captured."

He looked at me pityingly, as if he knew some sort of sad truth that I wasn't allowed to hear. It made me a bit worried. "Our lessons will become very infrequent, so you'll have to spend most of the time on the job. I thought it was better than assigning you cleaning duty at the dump." We weren't so sure.

"Sir, I really doubt that we can handle taking care of a bunch of overactive seven-year-olds," Kayley tried to tell him. "We're only a few months older; we're nearly as mature as them!"

"Less!" Razor chimed in. "I mean, it's both partly Hanso's and Kayley's fault that Kanrik's in jail, and they're always fighting, and-"

"I think that's enough, big guy," I said before he could blab anything else.

"Well, you're _not _taking care of seven-year-olds," The Kyrii explained calmly.

"But those are the youngest neopets allowed to be a thief," I groused.

"I know, but you can be any age to be a thief's child." When we all stared at him confused, he clarified, "Your parents can be crooks, right? We already have several fine examples in this class; Hanso, Razor, and Kayley. If you're the child of a robber, this is certainly a very difficult time, with your parents probably being sent to more assignments than ever and not being able to spend that much time with you. Imagine what it's like for them." I didn't have to imagine; I thought about my parents, how dead-tired they always looked when they got home. But always still having enough energy to give me a hug and kiss goodnight. "Yet you are mature enough to take care of yourself. Some people, though, have kids as young as a year old. They need someone to baby-sit them while they work, and that's your job. End of discussion."

There were many whispered gripes, but they were all pretty much half-hearted. We all knew what it's like to be left alone at home in a young age…and it isn't much fun.

Week 3

They gave us a few of our 'pip-sized pals' today. I got this two-year-old brown Wocky called Timmy. He had a lot of hair growing over his eyes, which he liked to move away by blowing on it. That was actually kind of cute. They said that based on how responsible we were, we'd get more and more kids to take care of. Oh, joy.

When their mothers handed them over, they started wailing in our hands. Timmy actually got sick all over me! Their parents seemed like they were about to change their minds when the Kyrii assured them, "They just need a little time to adjust. I'm sure they'll all be friends soon- and besides, it's better than bringing them to deadly missions with you." He flashed them a smile, stiffening their resolve to leave. They blew a few last kisses to their precious babies, then went to report to the main building.

"So, um…what do we do with them now?" Razor asked, holding his 'pal' an arm's length away.

"That's up to you," the Kyrii replied, starting to go. "I need to go to the briefing room soon. Feel free to do whatever you like to entertain them, including to go around the marketplace. Just _be careful._" With that, he went away.

"This is just great," Kayley bewailed, like always. "Stuck with a bunch of pipsqueaks. Thanks, Hanso."

"Hey, there was nothing I can do! How was I supposed to know that he'd think about my wish like that?"

"Maybe if you didn't say anything at all-"

"Fine! Fine! I'll change my resolution: For the rest of the year I'll be ignoring you. _And _talking to Brynn," I added. That hit a sore spot.

"DON'T YOU DARE-"

At the sound of her raised voice, all the kids burst into tears. She gritted her teeth. "Now look what you made me do!"

"What _I_ made you do-"

"Guys! Enough!" Razor shouted. "Come on, you're upsetting them." We both took a glimpse on their sad faces wailing their hearts out, and sighed.

"No fighting in front of them. Deal?" I held out my hand.

"Whatever." She eyed my hand as if it was something disgusting. I took it back. "So, let's head out."

"To the marketplace?" Juliet asked, escorting her little pupil, Robby, alongside of her. He was a blue Nimmo not old enough to walk yet.

"No," Kayley answered harshly. "I don't want…._some_ of us talking to the _wrong_ sort." She really can hold grudges.

"How 'bout the rich apartments?" Julius suggested, referring to the part of Brightvale where the wealthiest merchants lived. Benjay, his little Lutari, trailed after him. "We never went there before, and it'll be a lot safer since there are not as many guards."

I shrugged. "Sure."

We spent the rest of the day there. There was a small playground in one corner, topped with a huge fountain for everybody- even the_ mature _eight-year-olds- to splash in. Timmy and the "little people" loved it. Soon, though (WAY too soon) they started crying because they were so tired. A couple of them actually relieved themselves in the water.

"Ew!" Kayley cried as she carried up her infant, Lilia the Cybunny. She had a larger than average diaper."Not much point staying here. It's almost time to give them back, anyway- let's go to headquarters."

So we had to pick up the tiny animals and hand them over to their mothers. They sniffed loudly and shook their heads, telling us we should have taken better care of them. I wanted to snap back, _Listen lady, we're eight! We can't even take care of ourselves! _But I didn't say it aloud. The Kyrii convinced them to give us another chance, and they reluctantly agreed to. Hard for me to say this, but he can actually be a charmer if he wants to be.

When I first signed up to be a thief, I never read 'taking cure of wild hooligans' in the job description. It was enough to make even the sugar-crazed twins- er, Julius and Juliet, feel tired. If all days are going to be like this one, I'm going to have to quit.

Week 4

We ran into some trouble. Typical. Today, we took the kids to the park again, but someone was already waiting for us. At first I was scared it would be the guards- as much as I wanted to see Brynn again, I really didn't want the kids captured along with us- but it turned out to be wealthy neopets about our age that lived there. They were dressed in designer clothes, with shades that covered their eyes. It sickened me.

At first we ignored each other, which was fine by us. Then Timmy wanted to go on the swing, which was on their side. Seeing as he was going to burst into tears if I didn't, I just steeled myself and asked this Usul, "Um, this kid wants a turn. Would you mind getting off for a bit?"

He looked at me snottily, and I had the strangest feeling that he looked familiar. "Yes, I would."

"Okay, then." I waited for him to leave.

"No, you idiot! You asked if I minded if I got off. I said yes, I _did_ mind if I got off. Duh."

"Hey, that's not very polite!" Juliet chimed in, slightly hopping.

The Usul laughed and gestured for his gang to join, which they did unconvincingly. "We don't need to be polite. We're filthy rich!"

"You still don't own this place," I shot back. He smirked, went right up to Timmy, and pushed him down. He started screaming. "Hey-"

"A hundred neopoints to keep quiet," he said, handing me money.

I threw it back to him and helped Timmy up. "I don't need it."

He snorted and scrutinized all of us. "Really? Could've fooled me."

All of us were red-faced. No matter how mean we are to each other, nobody, and I mean nobody, ever pointed out that they were poor. We were more or less in the same situation.

"Do yourself a favor and get out of our neighborhood," the Usul continued. "You're just embarrassing yourselves." He turned his back on us and started walking back to his place on the swing- but Timmy was already sitting there. With him insulting us, I hadn't noticed him slip away.

"Wee!" He laughed joyfully, getting higher and higher.

Now it was the Usul's turn to be red-faced. "Get him off my seat!" He yelled to a few older men who were apparently his servants.

"We can't, sir," one responded in a monotone voice. "He's too tall to reach."

"Fine, I'll get him myself!" The spoiled brat yelled. He jumped and hung precariously on the chain. Grabbing Timmy, he tried to stop the ride, but they both ended up tumbling out, rolling over on the sand.

Timmy's eyes went round and round. He grinned at me. "Again! Again!"

Before I could get him, the Usul shook him by the shoulders. There were outcries on both sides. "You little-"

"Oh….Me not feeling so well," Timmy said weakly, and vomited all over the Usul's fancy coat.

"UGH!" He raged as all the thieves giggled. "You know what this means, don't you?" He said in a deadly voice. "WAR!" Then he turned and stomped off to one of those white-washed mansions, with the rest of his group following him. I don't think he was kidding.

Something tells me we'll be seeing a lot more of each other- whether we like it or not.


	14. February at Age 8

**Sorry for the long delay, but this was awfully long chapter and I had less time than I realized. It also turns out I have a LOT more quizzes, plus two essays and stuff…ugh! So yeah, I guess I'll just have to update when I can. I'll probably have more time in the summer vacation (next Friday). :( **

The Month of Awakening (February) Age 8 

Week 1

I was getting kind of worried about Kanrik. I mean, he's been in jail for three months now! Shouldn't he have escaped or something? And why aren't the adults putting much effort into helping him? Well, I found out pretty soon.

I decided to talk the Skeith who was in charge, Mortak, about it. While waiting outside the meeting, I eavesdropped- er, _overheard _the adults talking. It was mostly about boring stuff, like supplies and branches and all that, but then someone said something that pricked up my ears.

"Why haven't we done anything for Kanrik yet?" There was an immediate outburst of murmurs. Peeking from the door, I saw that Mortak was sweating.

"That's a very good question. Why don't you save it for the next meeting?" He was stalling, and I knew it.

"But that's what you said last time," another voice shouted out.

Mortak shrugged, as if helpless. "I'm sorry, but I have _very _urgent matters to attend to. Good-bye!" With that, he walked out of the room.

My plan was to ambush him when he exited, since I never saw him anywhere else. Something made me hesitate, however. Instead, I decided to follow him. It was easy, really; the supposed Master Thief wasn't too stealthy. I guess the only reason that no one's ever succeeded to find out is because no one tried, probably for fear of getting kicked out of the guild.

But I've heard that threat before.

Taking a few sharp twists and turns, I realized that he was going to the storage room, where we kept the food that we gave to desperate people in our guild. _What's he doing there? _I wondered, but I kept silent. To my disgust, he started eating the meals- when there were so many others who needed it! Even thieves know that that's wrong. I jumped out of my hiding place.

He leapt up, trying to wipe his mouth quickly on his white shirt. When he realized it was just an eight-year-old, he stopped. "What are you doing here?"

"The better question is," I said, "What are _you _doing here?" I stared pointedly at the open cans.

"Well I- I was just here to check that these weren't poisoned," he rapidly answered. "Yes, that's right. Wouldn't want to get anybody in the guild sick, now, would we?" He laughed, waiting for me to join him. I just frowned. He coughed awkwardly, and then continued, "Now, how may I help you?"

"When are you going to help _Kanrik_?" I demanded. "He's been in jail for way too long."

He stared at his toes. "Kanrik is a master thief; he can get himself out."

"But he might be trapped in some sort of high-security cell or something! He might need us!"

"He's already too far gone," he stated firmly.

"What does that mean?"

He raised his eyebrows and shook his head. "I forgot; you're just a child. You're not supposed to know that."

"Know what? You better tell me or I'll-"

"You'll what? You're just poking into adult's business, kid, and it's already upsetting you. Take my advice and go to your mommy, alright….Hansel?"

"Hansel?" I spluttered. "That idiot who took his little sister to eat a candy house in the woods? You might be mistaking me for Julius. It's _Hanso, _mister."

Unexpectedly, his lips curled into a smile. "Oh…Hanso. You."

"Me," I replied coolly. "Um….who am I, again?"

"Listen, buddy," he sneered, "You might be Kanrik's old favorite, but you are definitely not mine. I'm heir to the hierarchy if something happens to him….and if you get my drift I'll be your boss pretty soon. And there's nothing you can do about it."

My eyes widened. Slowly, I began walking out, still dazed. Then I snapped back into focus. Nothing I can do about it? We'll see about that. "Okay…_sir. _Thanks for giving me your oh-so-awesome assistance."

"See how easy it is when we work together?" He commented smugly. "Go on, skedaddle."

I saluted and followed his order….I skedaddled to my room and started hatching a plan.

Week 2

We got our little pals again this week, so we got to do whatever we wanted.

"I say," said Kayley, "Let's go to the park and show those spoiled little rich kids that they can't tell us what to do." There was a chorus of agreements, but I didn't voice my opinion. She frowned. "Neopia to Hanso? You with us?"

"Yeah…I've kind of been having some second thoughts about that."

Her jaw dropped. "Are you insane? It was _your _little person that the guy pushed down!"

"It's not that," I replied hurriedly. "I mean, I'd cream him if I could but…."

"But…." They all waited for an answer.

"I kind of have other plans."

"What plans?" Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. I shrugged innocently. "This doesn't have anything to do with that…that _guard_?"

"'Course not! Now run along and stuff. Me and Timmy have stuff to do. Isn't that right, little sucker?" I asked, messing up his hair.

He pouted slightly. "Me not sucker."

"Sure ya aren't. But we still have stuff, right? Come on," I pulled him away before Kayley could say anything else.

He stared at me with those big eyes trustingly. "What we gonna do, Hanswo?"

"We are going to find a way inside the jail," I told him.

He grinned. "Kanwik escape?"

I looked at him indecorously. "How did you know about that?"

"Mummy complain 'bout Kanwiks weplacement. He mean. Not enough food. Hanswo skilled thief, I think- you try and break him out!" He said that so matter-of-factly that I gaped, especially the last part. He was _good. _I had to remind myself what I've been saying to adults- Don't underestimate kids.

"That's- that's right. Just don't tell anyone about it, okay? It'll be our little secret." He nodded in affirmation. "Good. Now, I don't actually know how we're going to break him out. This is just a scouting mission- hopefully I can get the others at my back soon, and then we can really help him escape. I just need a way in." I thought I was crazy for confiding all this to someone so tiny, but he just proved he can help. He might be even useful. "Think you can find one?"

He nodded eagerly and started searching around. We were in the back of the prison, near some forest. I knew that the most dangerous thieves are kept behind, so I guessed that Kanrik was somewhere at the rear. Suddenly, Timmy cried out, "Here!"

It was just a crack in the wall behind the bushes, barely noticeable to anybody unless they had keen eyes. "Good work, kiddo!" I exclaimed, rubbing is hair again. "Now if we only had a way to make it bigger….aha!" I found a small, sharp rock. The stone surrounding the crevice was weak, so it took only a few strokes to make a hole. Granted, it was too small for any grown-up to walk through, but Timmy and I fit in just fine. Even better, the shrubs disguised the entrance.

We crept in nervously, not exactly sure where we'd end up. In the corridor, within eyeshot of the guard? In a cell, filled with dangerous criminals? The girl's bathroom? It was horrifying to think about it. Luckily though, our thin passage stopped at the wall of a locked room; Kanrik's locked room. We were in the part adjacent to the bars, so the guards couldn't see us. The fissure was still too miniscule for any thoughts of a getaway, but at least we could communicate.

When he woke up, that is. All three Master Thieves were sound asleep, snoring peacefully. To be honest, I was kind of glad that it was that way. The other two still creeped me out, and after what they nearly did to Brynn's friend, I made up my mind to avoid them at all cost. "So, Timmy," I started, hoping for suggestions, "How do you think we can wake the blue guy over there but not anyone else?"

"Poke him!"

"Well, that's actually not a bad idea," I considered. Grabbing a long stick, I began jabbing at Kanrik.

He tried swatting it away with his eyes still closed. "Don't you guard-kids have anything better to do than to tease a prisoner?" I prodded him hard on the ribs, and he leapt up. "Why, you-"

His face was absolutely priceless when he saw us.

"Hi, sir," I greeted him calmly.

"Hanso?" He choked out. "What are you…How did you…"

I ignored him and asked a question of my own. "So, was _she_ good or was she good?" That was one nice thing about Kanrik; you didn't have to beat around the bush with him. Just ask straight-forwardly. Of course, mine also had a double meaning: Did he believe me now?

"She was good," he admitted. "Though I still think you could have gotten away."

"You think _I _could have had a chance when you didn't?" I scowled.

"I underestimated her, but you didn't. I am sure that there is another reason why you let her catch you."

"I _told _you," I explained angrily, "I was trying to pretend to be her friend and all that so that I can get information or whatever."

He frowned. "We'll talk about this when I get out." He studied me. "You _did _think of a way for me to get out, right?"

"Well…" I trailed off. He groaned. "Hey, it's not my fault! Your lieutenant wasn't doing a very good job making people help you. He did motivate me, though- he'd definitely stink as a leader, so I decided to get you outta here as soon as possible. It wasn't that hard, really- I bet anyone could have assisted, if they tried."

He shook his head. "But they won't try. They can't. Mortak had probably given orders to them not to do anything without his permission."

"_Why_?"

"Because if I'm here for more than eight months," he informed me, "I get shipped out to Darigan Citadel." I cringed, having already heard the rumors about that place. They say that the thieves there are so broken up and beaten that they don't even _try _to escape; which ensured that Mortak would be the guild leader forever. "They have gotten nicer, though. Once, they used to-"

He got cut off by a loud creaking on the stairs. A guard was coming- maybe more than one. I had to get out fast. "I'll come back, 'kay? In the meantime, can you _please _try and escape on your own?" It was weird for me to berate an adult, but I was being pressured and I really wanted him out.

"Hanso, escape was never really my strong suit."

"Our teacher said that good thief knew how to do all the skills," I complained.

"But they didn't have to be best at all of them."

"Fine," I said distractedly, hearing the footsteps come closer and closer. "How about you steal the keys from a guard's pocket? It's always on the left side. Smash their head against the bars or something if they resist." I didn't really mean the last part, but it slipped out anyway. "Tell you what, you can even take credit for it."

"Hanswo!" Timmy called urgently from the entrance. I quickly ran out. I didn't actually do anything, but I felt better- at least this time I hadn't abandoned my mentor.

We were walking off until we were stopped by someone saying, "I knew it!" We whirled around. It was Kayley, hands on her hips. "I _knew _you were sneaking off to the castle to see that guard!"

"But I-"

"Save it. I can't believe you would try to do that _again_!"

Seeing as there was no point in doing so, I just shrugged. "Why do you care?"

"I'm not even going to answer that question," she seethed. "Are you trying to get Mortak get captured now?"

"No-"

"You've gone too far, Hanso. I thought you'd learned your lesson! Ugh, someone _has _to stop you." She rushed away. I dreaded to think what she was plotting.

Week 3

Kayley's been disappearing a lot lately. I don't know what's happening, but whenever I see her she always appeared to be heading in the direction of the palace. I can't believe it. I mean, is she going to be friends with a guard too just to spite me? That would be a pathetic revenge. In fact, I think it would be kind of nice for her to see that not all guards are bad.

On the side-note, my plan seems to have failed, but word got back about it to the thieves. My folks were whispering about it at dinner. A tip for parents- never share confidential information right in front of your kid. From what I picked up, the plan _almost _worked, if not for the interference of- who else?- Brynn. I think my point of her being a good guard has been taken. They transferred Kanrik into another top-security cell. That really messed up my plans, and I really didn't want to make up another one.

Week 4

What I said last week, about it being nice for Kayley to have a guard friend- I TAKE IT BACK! I _so _take it back. Because she couldn't have picked a worse person to be buddies with...and tell stupid little secrets to.

I saw that idiotic Lupe whom I punched ages ago with her. Near the forest. Today. My eyes widened, and I actually had to pinch myself a few times to make sure this wasn't a dream or, to be more precise, absolute nightmare. She did her signature sneer at me, which made me want to tear her face up to pieces. But it only got worse when I heard what she was saying.

"…Keeps a necklace hidden beneath her tunic at all times," she seemed to be continuing. "I saw her mother gave it to her at her birthday party, and Hanso gave it back after he stole it." A gasped in horror when I figured out they were talking about Brynn's necklace.

"You sure about this? Nah, you wouldn't lie," he answered himself. "I can lock you up in prison right now if I wanted to."

Her face flushed. "And I can slit your throat without anyone finding out it was me." So much for the whole 'pal' cover.

"Fair enough."

"So you're going to tell your instructor?" She practically shouted. She really wanted me to hear.

"Nope." She gawped at him for a couple of minutes, until he answered, "I have something else planned, and it's going to be a lot better than just whining to the teacher. Besides, our instructor is on her side." He crossed his arms. "Look, honey, this is just a one-time thing, right? Much as I want to get some dirt on Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes, I can't exactly hang out with you all the time. It would, eh….tarnish my already fragile reputation."

"What reputation?" I spat.

He turned around and noticed me. At first he glared, but then his whole countenance changed into some sort of triumphant, disgusting smirk. "Oh, it's you. Don't think I didn't forget that little fiasco a few months ago. Payback day is coming- but for now I think your accomplice will fit the bill."

"Accomplice?"

He laughed as he walked. "See you later, scoundrel."

As soon as he left, I screamed at Kayley, "WHY DID YOU TELL HIM THAT?"

"To teach you a lesson. Guards can never be trusted- wait and see what he does with what I told him. Mark my words, it'll be what that- that girl would do."

"No, it wouldn't!" I shot. "Listen to this carefully, Kayley: Lupe- Evil. Bad guy. Brynn- Good. Too good, yeah, but good. Why do you have to be so mean to _her_?"

"All guards are wicked," she countered. "But she was more dangerous than others, trying to get close to you. That guy just proved everything that I'd believed about them."

"Didn't you hear anything of what I just said?" I stormed. "You told me that I've gone too far, Kayley- but it's actually you that did."

So now I know that's something bad is going to happen to Brynn in the near future, and I'll be responsible for it. Great, just when I got myself out of the guilt shell, Kayley comes along and pulls me back in.


	15. March at Age 8

**It's a short chapter (sorry)! Whateve876, I don't think I mentioned Timmy's eyes in chapter 14 except "He looked at me with those big eyes trustingly." Where did I say it was blue? I'll try and fix it when I can. :) **

The Month of Running (March) Age 8

Week 1

The stupid Lupe broke the necklace! I didn't see it, of course. If I did, I'd probably have punched him in the face again. I got it from Timmy. He has all the good traits of a spy; observant, sneaky, and cute.

"The pwetty girl was running and running when this big meanie came it twipped her!" He was telling me.

"Let me guess," I groaned. "A Lupe with a face that looks like it belonged in Moltara?"

"Yup! The pwetty girl fell in the mud. Then he got this wovely jewel from her neck. He grabbed it and bwoke the chain, then threw the gem and stomped on it. Like this!" He demonstrated excitedly, jumping up and down. What he didn't know was that each hop made me angrier and angrier. But not at him.

Something snapped between me and Kayley. We were never friends or whatever, but we got along. Now….ugh, I just hate her! I mean, I go through all that trouble stealing the darn thing then giving it back, and now she ruined it. It wasn't that, either. She punished me loads of times, but what she did never really affected Brynn. That was cool with me. What I did was my thing, and if she just _had _to beat me up for it, then I didn't really mind. It _was _my choice. But Brynn never even did anything, and all of a sudden Kayley goes mad and brings the fight to her. I just…ugh!

Week 2

What really sucks is that I was depending on Kayley to make most of the plan up with me. She's the best strategist in our class. Like I said before, I'm a do-it-and-think-later kind of guy, but this is serious. We couldn't afford anything to go wrong, and we need someone to map it all out. Someone who can really design a blueprint that nobody would ever see coming. Before, I thought she was the perfect candidate, but now….

You'd think I'm being selfish. I'm putting Kanrik's life at stake because of some petty quarrel. Still, I need someone I can trust to help out. And if that someone has to be incompetent, then fine. I'll ask Razor.

Week 3

I'm not being vain or anything, but I think Kayley's starting to miss me. She doesn't show it the sobbing-and-begging-to-forgive-her type of way, but with little things. Like when I'm getting especially desperate with Razor planning it all out. I open my mouth to say something, and she looks at me all hopefully. Then I shut it again. I can't just forget about it.

I know that even Brynn's over the whole necklace thing now, and I heard she even told the teacher, but I can't just forget about it. What if she does it again? Kayley probably guessed what I was thinking, because she offered me a deal (as if she's in a position to do that). "You don't talk to the guards, and neither do I." I refused, of course. What kind of agreement was that?

Week 4

Today, the most amazing thing happened. Juliet came to speak to me, and it wasn't because of candy. I was practicing throwing pebbles at bulls-eyes (You know that trick when you toss a stone, and while the guard checks it out you sneak in? That's why we have to learn how to do it). Then, without saying anything, she sat down quietly and waited.

Sometimes that's an absolutely normal thing to do. If Razor did it, I would assume he just wanted to pick up a few techniques. If Kayley stared at me like that, she would probably be wondering how to bring me down. If my mom walked into class to scrutinize my abilities, I wouldn't have thought about it much (though I'd be really embarrassed). But Juliet, one of the twins who always moved, sit still? Something weird was going on.

She wasn't good at being patient, either. Her hands kept fidgeting, and she bounced up and down on her seat. I sighed. "Juliet, just spit it out. You look like your being tortured."

"Hey, I'm not that bad!" She pouted. "I was here to ask you about Kayley. When are you going to forgive her?"

"Why do you care? Secondly, as an answer to your question, never."

"Why?" She demanded.

"She doesn't want forgiveness, Juliet. Remember before when I was the one apologizing even though she did the bad stuff? You know I'm not one to hold grudges. But she kept doing it over and over again…"

"To teach you a lesson! You have to admit, she does have a point."

"She doesn't."

"Does not!"

"Does too!"

"Does not!"

"Ugh!" She complained. "Do I have to do this with everyone? Alright, her view on the guards is a little exaggerated, but…"

"But what?"

"Oh, believe me, she does have her reasons. And Hanso, it _is _killing her. You're one of the few friends that she has."

"Yeah right- what?" I stared at her. "She thinks of me as a friend?"

"Friend might be a little too strong," she amended. "How about acquaintance?"

"Whatever. I'm still not forgiving her."

"Hanso!" She exclaimed. "Come on. You know she can be really sweet when she's nice."

"When's that?"

She glared at me. "You know how you helped Razor a lot last year, and she kept making fun of him?"

"Yeah," I said slowly.

"She hates you for it. For being so noble, even though you're a thief. She categorizes everything. If you aren't dark and mysterious and mean, you'll never succeed in being a crook. You are living proof that she was wrong."

"Huh. That makes sense. She doesn't really like being wrong much, does she?"

"No, she doesn't." Then suddenly she smiled. Then I smiled. Without any warning, we just started laughing hysterically. It carried on for a few minutes, until we were out of breath.

"You can talk major sense when you're sentences are legible," I told her.

She put her hands on her hips. "And when weren't they?"

"Last year, when you asked me for a fake gem," I reminded her.

"Oh, yeah…"

Then I thought of something. "Hey, Juliet, remember what you said in January? About being yourself and stuff?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Why'd you decide to do that?"

She was quiet for a moment, and then replied, "When you get older, it's gets hard to get someone presents, right? My mom used to give me a doll and Julius a toy car or something like that almost every year. Then Julius decided to make a wish list, since he didn't like what he got. In Christmas, he had everything." She took a deep breath. "The thing is, I was given exactly the same. But I only wanted my dolls. When I asked my mom why she didn't give me one, she said that she didn't know I didn't like action figures or whatever. I never said what I wanted, so she assumed that I copied Julius. 'Cause that's what I normally do. What I always do." She shook her head. "But Julius's little sister can't be all I am, right?"

She had been talking non-stop for five minutes, and for some parts of it I tuned off. I blinked rapidly, but managed to say, "'Course not."

"Good," she said, relieved. An awkward silence followed. "So, um, forgive Kayley, okay?"

I rolled my eyes. "No promises." Later at break, though, when Kayley was at a table alone, I went up to her. "I have a favor to ask you," I began.

"Thank goodness," Razor mumbled, always right behind me. "I'm not very good at planning stuff."

She raised her eyebrows, and a familiar, calculating look came over her eyes. "A plan, huh? What do you have in mind?"


	16. April at Age 8

The Month of Eating (April) Age 8

Week 1

It's such a _relief _to get Kayley back on my good side again. At least there was no shadowy, dark looks anymore, and I don't have to be worrying how I'm going to get our guild leader out. Kayley does that. The bad news? She makes me plan the getaway along with her. I've escaped from the castle a lot more times and I practically know the corridors inside and out, so she tries to pick my brain for ideas. It's really annoying.

But it'll be worth it, I tell myself. Today I didn't do any pranks, even though it's April Fool's. Everything just kept reminding me of last year, when I 'accidentally' played a practical joke on Kanrik. It was also the first time he'd ever promoted me.

I hoped it wouldn't be the last.

Week 2

Those spoiled….UGH! They ruined _everything_.

Maybe I should start from the top. We had the little ones today, which was fine by me. They were still kind of irritating, but at least they didn't wail for their mommies anymore. I think they're starting to grow on us us. Now though, they want to do what _we_ do. So when we said we had to "think about something," they all cried, "We wanna get Kanwik out, too!" We gaped at them.

"Timmy," I groaned accusingly.

"Not my fault," he protested. "They figure it out."

"Hanso, what were you thinking?" Kayley snapped, ignoring Timmy's remark. "Telling all our plans to the little ones."

"Hey, it really was Timmy! I didn't say anything." Then I whispered, "Let's distract them at the park. While they're busy, we'll do it."

"_If _we can get rid of the rich kids."

"We will."

When we got to the playground, though, it was nearly deserted except for this one little Kacheek, about five I think. He was dressed in fancy clothes- though unlike the others I've seen similar to him, he wasn't wearing it the most proper and fashionable way. Most of it, including his coat, was too big for him (which I respected). Still, a rich kid is a rich kid, no matter what he wore. He was probably still a big jerk.

"Can I go on the swing again? Pwease?" Timmy begged.

I rolled my eyes, but I was secretly relieved. That would be one pipsqueak out of the way, if the Kacheek would give it to us. And he _will _give it to us, whether he liked it or not. I was tired of getting pushed around. I walked right over to him-

"Oh, does he want it?" He asked before I opened my mouth. "That's quite alright. Come here chap, let's how you do in this helter-skelter of a ride." He had a strange, posh accent and used a lot bigger words than most his age. But hey, I guess that's Brightvale for you. Turning to me, he greeted, "Hullo! I'm Charlie." He held out his hand to shake.

"Um…Hanso," I managed, taking it. Kayley glared at me. She liked the wealthy only a little bit more than the guards. Plus, I've disobeyed one of her rules yet again: Never tell anyone your name.

"I expect that you're the thieves that the Gang has been complaining about," he continued, pushing Timmy. "You're my absolute heroes, you know; not many can get at them much. They pretend to be all tough and what not, though they really are just cowards…"

"Is that so?" A voice snarled. It was that Usul again, back with the rest of his crew. They advanced, surrounding us in a tight group. We were trapped.

"Yes," Charlie replied, not intimidated in the slightest. I was beginning to like him. "You simply are complete cowards. Worse, you can afford it, and I think it's absolutely pathetic."

"Watch it, Charles," the Usul warned. "The only reason I'm not beating you up now is because I'm in a good mood."

"No you're not," stated Charlie cheerfully. "You can't because our parents our close, and you're scared I'll tattle."

"Keep on talking and we'll see who's scared in the end." Thankfully, Charlie had the sense to shut up, though he did frown. He looked at me apologetically and went around the corner. "Now, didn't I tell you crooks to stay away from my turf?" The Usul didn't wait for an answer. "Get out of here before we hit the dung out of you."

"Who's going to make us?" Juliet stepped forward.

"Yeah," Julius agreed.

A devious smile appeared on the Usul's lips, but it was gone before I could think about what it meant. "Hm…siblings. Interesting."

"_Twins,_ actually."

"Even better- though darling, don't strain your pretty little mind coming up with insults for us. I guess that's your brother's job."

She scowled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, obviously," he said, "You're not very good at defending yourself, are you? Hiding behind your twin's back all the time. Please."

"I-"

"I bet you're just his little shadow," he mocked. "Doing everything he does- worshipping the very ground he walks on. You know you have no personality, so leave the talking to him."

"NO!" She was angrier than I've ever seen her. Her cheeks were red, and she was looking daggers at the Usul. He pretended not to notice.

Julius intervened. "That's no way to talk to my sister-"

"See what I mean?" He snorted. "Always coming to save the day."

"Stop it, Julius," Juliet hissed. "I can take care of myself."

Julius was taken a back, and a little mad, too. This was probably the first time she ever spoke to him that way. "Hey-"

"Of course, brother understands," he derided. "Always there to assist." He directed his attention to Julius. "Yet she never appreciates you, does she? After all your hard work; protecting her, teaching her, staying even when you wanted your own friends…and not a single thank you. You just listen to her chatter and chatter about girly stuff, and at the very end she abandons you."

Julius's face darkened. "It _is_ true. You never thank me for my help."

"That's because I don't need it!"

"Well, I won't do it anymore!" He yelled back.

"Fine!"

"Fine! And by the way, you _do _stink at defending yourself."

"Take that back!" She cried.

He crossed his arms defiantly. "Never."

Then came the moment we all never expected to come- Juliet slapped her beloved, precious twin. There was complete silence in the yard, like someone muted the sound. Julius was dazed, but it slowly turned into a dangerous expression. You could've heard a pin drop.

Slowly, she seethed, "Take. It. Back."

"No. Way." He mimicked her jaded, deadly tone.

Once upon a time, Julius and Juliet had blocked me and Kayley back from a fight. Now situations were reversed, and we found ourselves at the back of each sibling.

Razor tried to calm them down. "Guys, I can get it when _they _argue, but you're family-"

"That doesn't mean much to _her_!" Julius screamed.

"You always hold me back!" She screeched. "I have a life of my own, you know!"

"_I'm _holding _you _back?"

"YEAH!"

Girls are a lot stronger than they seem. I guess I should've already learned that from Brynn, but admittedly Juliet always struck me as harmless. I was _so_ wrong, and she proved that by elbowing me hard to get away and socking Julius on the jaw. They were out of control.

"A little tip for ya," the Usul told me as they were leaving. "Divide and conquer."

It took a long time for us to pry them apart. By then they both had bloody noses, bruises over their cheeks, and black eyes. And both were still determined to bring each other down. It…disturbed me. They always got along, always in their own little world. Despite Juliet's complaints last month, I didn't really know how deep these problems were until this little punch-fest. So how the heck did _that_ bully?

I didn't have time to figure it out, since more urgent problems popped up at exactly eleven fifty-five p.m. later that night. I think I've already mentioned that bed hours are usually my weakest times, and that's when people tend to attack me with unexpected requests. So when I had to get up to answer the door, Julius was there holding a pillow and a suitcase.

"What are you_ doing _here?" I asked tiredly. "Do you know how late it is?" Then I noticed what he was holding. "Oh, no! No, no, and….NO! You are _not _bunking in here."

"Please, Hanso," he pleaded. "I can't stand sharing a bedroom with that two-faced, double-crossing excuse for a sister, or _any _room for that matter."

"What about your parents? Won't they be worried?"

He shook his head. "They never interfere with us." I blinked, realizing once again how lucky I was to have parents who actually cared. Not that it was useful; it made me even sorrier for Julius.

"_My _folks will freak out."

He snorted. "Since when do you follow the rules?"

I sighed. Sometimes my trouble-making _does _come back to haunt me. "Whatever. But you have to get and make up soon. Got it?"

"Agreed with the first part, not with the second." I was too sleepy to object, so I just pulled open the twin bed and pointed there. "Thanks."

"No problem." I started drifting off.

Then the snores began.

Week 3

Judging from the dark circles underneath Kayley's eyes, Juliet had spent the night with her. I headed straight towards her in the morning. "Was it snores?"

She lifted her head up groggily. "Nope. She talks in her sleep."

"We have _got _to get those two back together," I murmured, stifling a yawn. "Whatever Julius said, I don't think he'll be leaving my house any time soon."

"That's not the only reason. They were an _essential _part of the plan. If _they_ can't work, then the _plan_ won't work."

"Great. Just great." My lids drooped, but I forced them open. "What do you suggest?"

"Can't think of much right now. Lock them out tonight?"

"Sounds good." It didn't really, but hey, we were exhausted! We couldn't think straight at all. The minute that class was over both she and I rushed to our homes and slammed the doors shut, and then took a long needed nap.

The twins weren't happy.

"You could've just told me," Julius said the next day. I felt guilty for hurting his feelings, but I'd rather he be mad at me than Juliet. And that I get a good night's sleep.

"That was a really mean thing to do Kayley, especially because of all the _secrets_ I kept for you," Juliet told her.

She stared at her toes. "So that does that mean you're friends again?"

They took a step away from each other, which I guess meant a no. "But we'll cooperate in your plan, since that's probably what you're worrying about. And we'll stay in our own bedroom," Julius added. "But besides that-"

"The Wocky twins are going solo," they finished in unison. Then they glared at each other.

Week 4

To make matters worse, now we're studying ancient languages. Old criminals and even magicians studied it to make codes and stuff, and ever since Kanrik became guild leader (and his friend got poisoned by a misread curse) it's been required. It did decrease the number of unfortunate deaths, so Mortak kept it. But why did it have to be so boring?

They Kyrii gave us our textbooks. Well, it wasn't really a _textbook _textbook. It actually looked like it had a pretty good story, with a dark binding and all that (Yeah, I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but then what are they for?). The problem was, it was all in foreign runes, and I don't have a clue on what it says.

Razor seems to know, apparently. His eyes went all mystic when they gave him his. "The nobles aren't even studying this!"

"Yeah." I rifled through the pages. I was a little bit…terrified. I never took this before! The Kyrii even told us this was independent study, and that he would only give us our assignments, not help with them. That's basically grown-up for, "I don't know either."

As ridiculous as it sounds, it seems like I'm going to have to ask Razor to lend a hand. For what was supposed to be one of the most festival months of the year, nothing really seemed very joyful to me.


	17. May at Age 8

The Month of Hunting (May) Age 8

Week 1

Razor said that he wanted to finish the book first so that he could tell me the story and help me understand it later on. He was really engrossed, so I didn't have the heart to demand him to teach me now. I really don't know what he sees in those hen scratches of letters. I know that each language has tons of tales, but really, what are the chances of being able to read ancient runes going to be useful?

Week 2

Razor finished his book, but…well, he has other plans. He opened the heavy tome and was just starting to explain it to me, when Nort walked in. Nort was Mortak's son, and one of Razor's biggest tormentors since we were still seven. He did all the usually things a bully does; throw paper wads, tease him, poke him in the back when he's studying…Thank Fyora he isn't creative, like Brynn's little "problem." He's mean, but he only does what he can think of, which fortunately isn't much.

So anyway he went to Razor and asked for his help. Just like that, as if all that went between them never happened. "Hey, old buddy!" He exclaimed, thumping him on the back. "Care to give me a few pointers on what these mean?" He gestured to the letters.

Razor's mouth dropped open. "But you hate me." Not exactly the best thing to say.

But all Nort did was laugh. "Hate you? Who could do that? You're awesome, man. Let's ditch this loser and head over to my place. My Dad's even getting it refurnished for the upcoming announcement of his permanent leadership."

"Permanent leadership?" I cried. No way.

"Yes way," he said, reading my thoughts. "You know how prisoners get shipped off to Darigan Citadel after eight months? Well this is the seventh, scoundrel, so if you want to you better save him _soon_." I gulped, realizing that he was right. "Now come on, Razor. I also have a few of my pals who'd like to learn, so we can't bring along this wimp."

"Who are you calling a wimp?" I snarled. "I was the first one to get promoted last year, remember?"

He snorted. "Still recall that little incident of _kindness_? That's right," he continued, seeing my shocked face, "Kanrik confided in my dad, and my dad confided in me. And you know, he doesn't like you much. Chances of it happening again are pretty slim. So if you know what's good for you, step aside and let Razor go, or I'll tell all about how you gave him that Illusen staff."

I bit my lip. There were still a lot of people I haven't met yet from the other classes, and he announcing that would ruin any chances of me being friends with them. "If Razor wants to, then I won't stop him."

"Um…" He wavered undecidedly. Then Mort dragged him away, and the decision was made for him. "I'll teach you next week!" He called back.

Week 3

Razor didn't make good on his promise, but I don't mind. It's because that "a few of Mort's pals" actually equal to like hundreds, and he has to teach them all. You should see him at lunch now; he's swarmed. He also seems to like it. From last year and for most of this one, he had been ignored and humiliated. Now people...see him.

I knew he was being used, though. Who wouldn't? I mean, they only hang out with him when one of them is getting taught. Pretty soon there'll be no one, and what'll happen then? I couldn't tell him that, though. I mean, I think it's the first time he has friends besides me. He's enjoying it, and I don't want to burst his bubble too soon.

So basically, I had to wait in line. At least until Timmy hauled me out. "Me don't wanna stay here!" He declared. "Me wanna go to the park!"

That was the actual plan of today, but Dad stopped it at breakfast when he was reading aloud the weather report from the Neopian Times. "Families should stay home. High risk of flood this season," he recited. "Storm clouds are coming."

But that wouldn't dampen Timmy's spirits, so I was forced to go outside. Advantageously, it wasn't pouring yet, so I estimated maybe a half-hour or so of play-time before we should go back- Assuming that no one was there to interrupt us.

"Out on the commons again?" Charlie shook his head. There was no one there but him. "Here, chap; don't get your knickers in at twist! You'll get your ride soon enough."

This time I didn't hesitate to greet him. "Hey, Charles."

He made a face. "It's Charlie, if you don't mind. Charles makes me sound so posh. Perhaps I am, what with my accent and all, but at least I don't have to be reminded of it."

"That's fine," I replied, slightly smiling. "I have another friend who likes being called by a nickname, too."

"Is that so? How fascinating!" He ejaculated enthusiastically.

"Shouldn't you be at home?" I asked him. "Won't your parents worry?"

"My parents don't notice anything except money, especially me." Charlie unconsciously echoed Julius's words.

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"That's quite alright. I've gotten used to it. And as an answer to your earlier question, I've decided to stick it out and see what it's like for you thieves braving the cold."

I laughed. "Charlie, even we criminals have somewhere to go to during this kind of weather."

"Then why in Neopia aren't you there now?" I pointed to Timmy. "Well! He certainly loves the swing set, doesn't he?" Charlie suddenly stared at the sky. "Say, how about you tarry along to my place until the rain breaks?"

"What rain-" I began, but was shushed by a huge down pouring. In just a few seconds, I was completely soaked.

"Yay!" Timmy bounced from puddle to puddle.

"He's clearly enjoying himself," Charlie commented. "But I think he'd like it better if he was wrapped in a warm blanket with a cup of borovan."

"But Charlie...well, we aren't exactly welcome here, are we?" He stared at me, puzzled. I struggled to explain. "We don't really belong here…"

"Don't be silly! Of course you do. At least warm yourself by the fire, and I promise that anyone who as much as looks at you wrong will be made to bow before you." He giggled at the expression on my face. "I was joking! Joking! You assume that all us rich people are the same, do you not? Yet that is as ludicrous as assuming that all thieves, and all _guards_ for that matter, are alike."

My eyes widened. "Does everyone know about me and Brynn these days?" I groaned.

"Who?" He questioned.

I raised my eyebrows. "You really don't know who she is? But I thought that guard thing…"

"Actually, I was referring to the few people from here that are sent to the guards. Some are awfully nasty, and I dread to see what they do with the law in a few years' time, but some are quite delightful." He paused. "Though that story about you and this Brynn sounds quite engaging."

"Stowy?" Timmy hopped to us. "Me wanna hear a stowy!"

"As do I as well. But first, let's get out of the weather, shall we?" He ran to a nearby house- no, mansion- and opened the door. "Come along, come along."

I reluctantly followed, not assured that the staff would be very friendly to us rag-muffins. To my surprise, the chubby Gnorbu house-keeper, Mrs. Daley, instantly swept us in a warm embrace and deposited us by the hearth. Before I could say "King of Brightvale," she gave us two steaming mugs of chocolate. "Um, thanks ma'am."

She clucked approvingly. "Charlie, you could learn manners from them! This boy actually says thank you." She pinched my cheek fondly. "And you know how saying thank you is important to a lady."

"Yes, yes, thank you Mrs. Dayely," he said impatiently. "Now Hanso, who's this Brynn you've been talking about? It sounds quite familiar, though I don't know why."

"Well, she's a friend, I guess," I asserted carefully.

"And…."

"Well, that's about it."

"Funny, when you were talking about her earlier after my remark, I thought that she was a guard," he pressed.

I sighed. "Well, she is." He gasped excitedly. "But don't tell anyone, okay?"

"You're secret is safe as a baby being molly-coddled by Mrs. Daley."

"Thanks, pal." I gazed out the window. "Hey, what's that over there?" It was a manor identical to the one we were in, except…I don't know. But shivers slipped down my spine as I glimpsed at it, as if a sort of gloominess lurked there.

"Ah. That is Ebony's house. You know, that ghastly Usul."

"His name is Ebony?" I smirked. "The fancy name for black?"

"I believe he prefers to be called Darkness, or some other strange name. I don't recall very well. Anyway, everyone in his family is traditionally named after a color. Like Peach, his cousin. Rose-red. Amethyst. Olive. Bluebell. Carnation. Violet. Tangerine. And….Hazel." He sat very still for a moment. "He has siblings, you know. That's why he manipulated those twins so well last month; he knew all the ups and downs to being a brother."

"Were you friends with Hazel?" I interrogated. "Was she his sibling?"

"Yes. One of them." He took a deep breath. "She was my best mate, actually, though all the other boys scoffed at her. Always so delicate, even more so after-" He stopped. "Anyway, she doesn't get out of the house much anymore. Her brother always hounds her back inside…but I miss her dreadfully."

"Couldn't you sneak in? Break a window. Lock pick the door. It doesn't seem that hard."

"I can't; I'm really clumsy. If you break one shard of glass, sirens start wailing and you'll be in _mounds_ of trouble. Lock pick? Forget about it; they get electric locks that even the king himself doesn't have. I don't even know how." I blinked, suddenly remembering that Charlie wasn't a thief; I knew how to pick a lock before I could talk. "Oh, the shower's stopped," he noticed, changing the topic swiftly. A few sunbeams were seeping through the clouds. We could go home.

"Thanks again," I told him.

"Don't mention it."

"Next time I'm here, I'll see if I can help you with Hazel. I'm all about forbidden friendships."

He grinned. "I'm sure you are," he said as he led me out the front porch. "Bye, Hanso."

I gave the house across the street one more glance- and nearly yelped. Peeking behind the thick, over-the-top curtains, was a little Usul with big, brown eyes. I'm sure it was Hazel; but she was gone so fast that I had to pinch myself I didn't imagine her.

When I got back, Razor was _still _surrounded. His little kid, Fin, was nearly trampled in the mass. I carried him on the table before leaving. He looked at me gratefully. "Thank you Hanswo. Timmy was wight. You are good fwiend."

Week 4

"Sorry, Hanso, not this week." Razor shrugged, but he didn't seem very sorry. He was leaned back in that relaxed position that people who thought they were popular are usually in. I had a bad feeling in a pit of my stomach.

"That's okay, Big Guy-"

"_Thick-boned_," he reminded me like so many other times, only now there was a sort of ferociousness when he said it. "I hate it when you call me that! Do you know how it makes me feel?"

"Oh. Um, sorry, I-"

"No, I guess you don't." He was getting all wracked up. "You don't get me at all, do you? I'm popular now. I don't need you. The only reason that I put up with that LOUSY nickname was because I did!"

Indignantly, I began, "Don't you think you're overreacting-"

"Overreacting?" He scowled. "No. Maybe old Razor overreacted, but the new one is cool. Confident. And doesn't need you. So scram! Get someone else to give you lessons. You're probably just going to make yourself hard to teach on purpose because of how bad I was on our first field trip when you were stuck with me."

"I wasn't stuck with you! I wanted to help-"

"Well, I don't need it anymore. Maybe the twins have the right idea. We should all just go solo." With that, he huffed away.

What just happened? I asked myself. I wanted to get angry as well- but that wouldn't really solve anything, now would it? Instead, I just swallowed my pride and went to Kayley. "Um…mind helping me with the runes?" I asked- no, _begged_. "You can gloat and stuff, but I really do need to learn." I looked at her desperately.

She scrutinized me carefully, as if making sure I wasn't tricking her. Then she sighed. "I would; teach and gloat, that is...if I knew how to do it myself." My jaw dropped. Then unexpectedly, I laughed. "What's so funny?"

"Look at us! We're supposed to be like the star pupils, remember? Man, we really got our game down."

"We can't all be good at everything," she pointed out.

"True, true."

"Why are you asking me, anyway? Don't you already have a friend to help you?" She gestured to Razor.

The smile slid off my face. "I don't think he's my friend anymore."

"He better be. He's-"

"An essential part of the plan," I finished. "I'll work on it." I gazed upwards. Though it was just bare ceiling, I could still picture the cheerful, bright sunshine that I woke up to this morning.

Despite that, however, I thought that the storm clouds were still coming.


	18. June at Age 8

The Month of Relaxing (June) Age 8

Week 1

I was right, both in the literal and metaphorical sense. Storm clouds appear and then- Poof! You're completely soaked to the bone and shivering. As well as that, Kayley has met the ultimate stress level. Right after lessons or when she takes care of her kid (Lilia the Cybunny) she stares at this notebook where she keeps all of her plans. Sometimes, she jots something down, but most of the time she just mutters something and says "No, no, that won't work."

It got so bad that I've finally taken upon myself to help. It was pretty good, actually. Like she said, everyone had a crucial part, so I'll have to mend things up with Razor fast. I did suggest some stuff that she'd overlooked, and together we pored over the whole thing over and over again. At least we were both so absorbed in it that we barely fought. Near the end of the week, we've finished. There was only one hole that I pointed out she forgot to take care of. "We need a guard's key- do you mean one from a superior?"

"No," she explained. "Each is a skeleton key, which I can get a locksmith to copy. One will open any cell."

"But how are we going to get one?"

"You'll see next week," was all she would answer.

Week 2

The twins took our little kids to the park for us. The Kyrii said at the beginning that this was definitely not allowed, and I heard it was going to rain again anyway, but Kayley insisted. "Please? Just for a few hours, and they'll be on our backs again at no time." We both asked each sibling separately, since they won't stand to be in the same room as each other.

"Absolutely not," Juliet told me in the class. "I've had enough of hyperactive drama."

Kayley spoke to Julius, who was a bit nicer. "No. Those kids are more sugar-crazed than us- I mean, me." He bit his lip and looked at the classroom door, then shook his head. "Sorry, no."

"This won't work," Kayley declared. "We can't take them along with us. We just can't."

"Chill!" I could tell she was just getting heated up. I thought for a moment. "Maybe we should take a leaf out of that Usul's book…"

"What? Turning them against each other? Are you mad?"

"Not fighting, definitely not that," I decided. "But…you know how we work best when we're competing with each other?"

"Yeah…" She said slowly. "But how-?" She snapped her fingers. "That's it!"

"I know, I know. I'm just plain brilliant." She glared at me, but she didn't deny it. "Come on! Let's see what those two can do under pressure."

"He said what?" Juliet cried. I had told her that Julius was going to take good care of the little tykes, just like he did with her. Hopefully they wouldn't end up backstabbing him, too. Oh, and that she wouldn't do it because she knows she couldn't handle them.

"She said what?" Julius cried. Kayley had told him that Juliet would get the pipsqueaks to behave much better than he would; he was a horrible brother. Probably just realizing it, he refused our offer because he knew they'd just end up bettering him, and he couldn't stand that.

I felt a bit bad lying to them, but what chose did we have? Besides, it worked. "Bring it on," they both seethed.

We headed out to the marketplace. I noticed some changes; not big, more like someone had changed the ad on a notice board, the colors of a stall had paled from a bright green to a pale yellow, that kind of thing. It reminded me of how long I haven't been here, and how I much I sort of missed it. And the people in it too. One particular person.

"So, uh, where are we going?" I asked, trying to keep in step with her.

"It's rather where_ you_ are going," she replied. "The fruit stall."

"What? But I that's where Brynn usually is."

"Exactly."

I frowned in confusion. "But you said not to talk to her anymore. What made you change your mind?"

"I haven't, actually. But we need your connection with her just this once." She handed me a soft piece of clay. "Press this against her keys. The mould will form into the shape, and the locksmith will be able to meld it to the very last detail."

"Hold on! You want me to take her keys so that you can forge them?"

"You won't even be stealing. Wasn't the whole point of your 'friendship' is so that you can use it?"

"Oh, sure, _now_ you believe me."

"You're the only one who could get close to them and not get captured. Just get out there!" Before I knew it, she shoved me right in front of them.

"Brynn!" I exclaimed when I saw her. She was a little taller than before, but besides that she was the same girl with the electric-blue eyes. Then I noticed her partner staring at me suspiciously. "And….er….her friend."

"The name's Violet, mister," she huffed indignantly.

My gaze wandered over to Brynn's pouch. _The keys. _I knew I was going to hate myself, but this was for Kanrik. "So, what's in the bag?"

"Nothing concerning you," Violet answered. Still, I wasn't going to give up that easily. Quickly, I snatched it and opened the contents. There was a huge, heavy book. It had a striking resemblance to one I knew, but I couldn't tell which. Besides, I was slightly distracted that her keys were right under it.

Pretending that I was interested, I pulled it out and examined it. "That's a pretty thick book. How do you plan on finding time to read it all?" I slipped the key out and crinkled it against the creamy dough. It began forming into the shape.

"I'll manage," she said, holding out her hand for her novel.

"It looks like a pretty dark book," I stalled, glimpsing at the picture and blurb. I knew I had seen it before, but I still couldn't remember. I had other problems. "I didn't really take you for the type who'd like dark books." A faint squelching sound indicated that the clay had done its job, so I pulled it into my pocket and practically threw the keys in the bag.

"Life's fully of surprises," Brynn said as she grabbed the volume back. A split second earlier and she would have caught me.

Just then, a dark cloud covered the sky. Violet seized Brynn's arm and led her to the guard's gate. "Bye!"

Water splashed on my head, but the clay was still dry in my pocket. I saw Brynn turn back, with a guilty expression on her face. I gave her a reassuring grin before I ran off to Kayley.

"What kind of friend is that, leaving you out in the downpour?" She asked in a mocking tone.

"At least she wasn't the one who _pushed me out_." I glared at her accusingly.

She rolled her eyes. "So, you have it?"

"Yeah."

As we walked home, an electric-blue flash of lightening flashed in the sky. A reminder, I thought. This could cost mine and Brynn's job- or free Kanrik and save them.

Week 3

We've got everything sorted out. The little ones are guaranteed out of the way by next week. The twins are trying to cope with working together for just one last time. The only problem was Razor.

"Get him to make up with you already!" Kayley ordered.

I gaped at her. "How? He has his new buddies."

"Who are only using him."

"He won't believe that, you know."

"Well, get him to do it with some other way! You don't have to forgive him! You could backstab…."

"What?"

"Lie…."

"Nope."

"Blackmail…"

"I don't have anything to blackmail him _with_!"

She raised her eyebrows. "I think you do."

"What?" I asked eagerly.

She started walking away. "Figure it out."

Ugh! I hated when she did that, just like any other teacher. I sighed, digging into my brain. Did I take something from him? Maybe that's not what Kayley meant. Maybe….

"Hey, Razor! Can I talk to you for a minute?" A few hulking 'bodyguards' stood in my way, but I yelled it so that he _had_ to hear.

He rolled his eyes. "This better be quick, Hanso." He clapped his hands, and the bodyguards made room for me. "What do you want?"

I leaned in and started whispering, "You know that me and Kayley are planning Kanrik's escape…"

"No," he said immediately. "Absolutely not. Nort's Dad is the current guild leader, and he'd kill me if I do anything to change that."

"So is that why you're stuck being friends with him?" I indicted. "Scared he'd turn on you?"

He glared. "I don't have to stick to anyone, as you very well know. Is that it, are do they have to show you the way out?"

I sighed. "I really hate playing this card, Razor, but you leave me no other choice…."

"Huh?"

"You were pathetic last year," I told him bluntly. "Simply horrible. And you know that I remember a lot of times that you'd rather not say…"

"You wouldn't…."

"Like the time you tried to get neopoints from that lady's purse for instance. I think that her baby stopped you by biting your finger. You wouldn't want that getting out, would you?"

"Hey-"

"And remember when you tried to rob this random guy? You were about to take off when it turned out it was our Kyrii Master, who was undercover in a mission. And when you saw his face, you blew his cover!"

"Stop it!"

I paused; he looked like he was about to burst into tears. "Alright, Razor, I won't tell. You made it clear that you didn't need me anymore, but _we_ need you…um,_ I_ need you just this once. Forget about my threat for a moment and remember all the good times that we had. Like the Illusen staff. Or our first field trip in the marketplace. For old times' sake…."

"Fine," he growled. "But one more, and that's it." He stalked off, and his bodyguards instantly surrounded him in their protective shell again. "For old times' sake."

Kayley was waiting for me at the hall, and I explained to her what I did. "You could have had him in the threatening part, you know. You didn't have to be nice in the end."

"He _was_ my friend," I said simply.

"After he abandoned you? Well. Kind of makes you wonder how far you'd go for a pal, doesn't it?"

Week 4

It was about seven when we decided to break in, and we all wore something black. Even me, though it wasn't really my color. The castle was filled with night guards at this time, and the drawbridge was shut. From all the hostile looks our team has been giving each other, you could probably taste the tension in the air.

I was carrying the key, for some reason. I thought at first that it was going to Kayley, but she told me to keep it. It was actually weird, getting trusted with something that important. We made our way by hijacking a late delivery boat, and pretending to be sacks of flour. That got us as far as the kitchen.

It was still a hustle and bustle, which I guess Kayley didn't expect. I pointed underneath the tables, which no one was checking, and crept my way out from under there. The rest followed my lead. It was working until-

"Oh, my!" A lady with a familiar voice dropped a brownie. "That's fine, I'll pick it up." As she bent over, she saw us- and it was Mrs. Daley. I should have guessed she had connections to the palace. Her eyes widened with shock when she saw me.

"What's taking so long, Carol?" Someone asked.

"Um…nothing. Just admiring the gorgeous marble floor." I mouthed her a silent thank you, and she nodded back. Then I noticed all the thieves staring at me. I smiled and just kept going to the door.

The corridor was no problem- we all knew where the dungeons were. There was an occasional roaming guard, and a few that were training to be one, but we avoided them easily as we kept to the shadows. They aren't very observant when they're tired.

The door there was open. Of course. A lot of people would expect criminals to break out, not in. I saw a few crooks staring at us desperately, but we only planned for a few to get out of here tonight. Then we reached the ice-slide.

This is the part of the hall where the strongest and most important Master Thieves were. Securing it was a corridor full of sleet and snow that would take the toughest scoundrels to get through. Guards could access the place through another way, though we weren't sure where that was and we didn't have time to figure that out.

Razor was a Bruce; originating from Terror Mountain. He managed to get to the other side without breaking a sweat, and turned the air-conditioner off for the rest of us. That's when it became really risky. We knew that it wouldn't be long before someone noticed that the ice-slide was off.

Then we had to get through a pack of guards. That was the twin's job. Juliet stood directly in front of them and started throwing water balloons. There were a lot of outcries, and they began to try and grab her. Then Julius got them from behind, slamming them so hard that they were out cold before they hit the floor. They did this until there was no one left.

Kanrik had been watching all this from his cell. "Let me guess; Hanso?"

"Right here!" I grinned. "Though it was mostly due to my class, of course." Then we heard groans from a few guards that were waking up. "But I'll introduce you later." I turned the lock- and it was jammed. "Uh-oh."

"What now?" Kayley hissed.

"It's jammed," I told her.

"Turn it the other way, idiot!" She shrieked. It didn't work. A hand clamed on her shoulder, but she kicked the guard away. The rest helped her in holding them off.

"Come on, come on!" I pulled with all my strength, actually toppling over. Great, a failure _and_ humiliated. Then I heard a faint clicking sound. Kanrik walked out of the door of his cell. He was free!

"What about us?" The people on the next cell clamored. It was Zida and Vlade.

Kanrik turned to them. "You two are officially kicked out of the Thieves' Guild."

"What?"

"You disobeyed a direct command; I told you not to harm anyone. Incidents alike that one have gotten you into trouble before, and I'm afraid I can't risk it again."

"You dirty piece of filth-"

"Save it."

"We'll escape," Vlade swore. "We'll escape and we'll claim our vengeance."

"I'd like to see you try. Come along, children." He escorted us around the back door, punching a few guards along the way. We were in another hall, near a concourse. All we had to do was go across. Still, it was risky. It was the same corridor that led into the dining room, and a lot of guards were having their meals at this hour. We went one at a time. Razor was okay, though he waddled much to slowly. Juliet and Julius were like little streaks. Kayley managed it, too.

"Brynn, hurry up! You're going to make us miss supper!" Violet called, hurrying through. We all froze. Those across the hall hid beneath a tapestry, but Kanrik and I were practically in plain side, just behind a statue. "Honestly, you should practice sword-fighting in the arena, not our room!"

"Coming, coming..." Brynn answered distractedly, hauling her heavy book around. Then she paused. "Did you hear that?" I groaned in the inside. One of us- probably Razor- had sneezed. It would have taken someone observant to catch it. Even though it was dark, I could tell Kanrik was impressed.

"BRYNN! Come on, or there won't be any dessert left!" Violed shrieked.

She rolled her eyes and started following her. "Fine."

We ran to a nearby courtyard. We almost made it- almost….

The gate fell shut. So did the gate to the entry way. Kayley was at loss- this was not part of the plan. Guards were coming in groggily from the doors, like zombies. We were trapped, with no way in, no way out.

Now when have I been in this situation before?

Whirling, I spotted- would you believe it?- yet _another _catapult. I shouted for everyone to help me point it outwards.

"Are you mad?" Kayley screamed, but assisted me anyway. The twins pushed and puffed, along with Razor and Kanrik. After turning it around, I told everyone to climb in. "You _are _mad."

"Trust me, I think so too," I said as I clambered inside myself. I pulled out my dagger and started cutting the ropes. It was an agonizingly slow process, even more than last year. I had to do it strand by strand by strand. Even worse, most of the guards realized what I was doing and started hurrying up. One was almost to my arm-

I snapped the last string, and we were all flying through the air. And screaming. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

We plopped to a grassy meadow, our heads smarting. "Ugh…."

"That was a unique escape," Kanrik commented. "Though I take it you didn't organize the last part?" He breathed in and stretched. "Fyora, it feels good to get out of that musty old dungeon…though perhaps we better get going. Underestimating guards would be bad, as I've learned myself. Particlarly young ones."

We went to the hideout, which thankfully wasn't far. We were all about to go home, when he told us to accompany him to his office. Besides me, they were all uncomfortable. No one had ever entered before. We found Mortak bedecked in silken robes, eating grapes from a silver platter. The study itself had changed drastically, with expensive portraits and carpets decorating it. Mortak, not seeing Kanrik yet, asked threateningly, "What are you doing in my office?"

"No, Mortak," Kanrik said, stepping into the light. "I believe the question is what are you doing in _my _office."

"Kanrik!" He sounded like a mouse being trampled. "You're-you're back…"

"Yes. No thanks to you. Mortak, you are hereby demoted from Master Thief to footpad."

"But that's five levels down!" He complained.

Kanrik raised his eyebrows. "You're lucky I didn't kick you out altogether. Vlade and Zida weren't so lucky."

Mortak trembled. I could resist calling out, "Boo!" He raced out, screeching madly.

"At least he didn't take these." Kanrik pulled something from a drawer. They were badges! He tossed them to us. "You are all now Swindlers, which are level three thieves of the guild. Thank you for your assistance." He dismissed us. Everyone left, except me. "Yes, Hanso?"

"You said that we'd talk about-"

"Miss Brynneth. Yes. But I think we should save it for another day; I think we are both tired." I didn't move. He sighed. "What?"

"Well…just wondering, but why _didn't _you kick Mortak out? He sure deserved it."

"Loyalty is not a common trait among thieves. If I had to fire everyone who wasn't dedicated to me, there would barely be any of us left." He smiled slightly. "You are a special exception. Thank you, Hanso." I think it meant a lot more than the escape.


	19. July at Age 8

**Do they actually call the Neopian language English? Ah well, they do here. **

The Month of Swimming (July) Age 8

Week 1

It wasn't my fault that I got caught, you know. It had to do with a lot of things, involving the little kids, fists, and just plain bad attitude…Sorry, lost my train of thought. Maybe I should start from the beginning.

Okay, I admit it. Kanrik's compliment made the entire thing- lying to the twins, working with Kayley, groveling to Razor- worthwhile. I hope I'm not becoming a teacher's pet; that would be _awful_. Still, I couldn't help but be a tiny bit upset that he'd ignored me for most of the week. We still had the little kids, which was fine by me. It'd be horrible to just leave Timmy without saying good-bye. But I had other problems.

Razor was sulking. As promised, Kanrik didn't tell about his involvement in his escape, though when word got out that he was a Swindler, Nort probably put two and two together. He was still pretty popular, though, but I'm guessing not for much longer. Before, there used to be a possibility that Nort might keep Razor around just to spite me even though the Language Course was over, but now there was no chance. When final exams kick in after next week, I had a feeling that he would be in serious trouble.

Worse, he blamed it on me. Said that I poisoned him with lies. _Right_. So that's how I ended up in the marketplace instead of the park, babysitting both Timmy and Brandon. Brandon was a little Ruki, and Razor's little kid. He said to pay him back I have to take him for the day, unless I didn't want the Kyrii to know that the twins took Timmy last month. You know, he really is turning into a jerk. But I guess a teeny bit of me still had pity for him. If I didn't, I'd have told him to go ahead and tell. That was an essential part of breaking Kanrik out, and I doubted that I could have gotten that much trouble for it.

So, Timmy and Brandon were become a bit too lively. Now that it's officially summer for them, they want to do loads of things- like for example, bust a few thieves outta jail. Now where did that come from? Even the playground wouldn't settle anymore. They practically dragged me away from there, complaining that they were bored. That was a shame, since I wanted to talk to Charlie and maybe Mrs. Daley. The best I could do was send a message through the rest of the class who weren't coming with us. Instead, we went to the marketplace.

I figured out already that Brynn's patrol was only week two of each month, so I relaxed. After all, she was the only one who could, and who I would let, catch me. So I let the kids scurry around in the souq with ease, just strolling around and daydreaming. Then a hand clamped over my shoulder.

It was that Lupe again! I could have run- in fact, I was prepared to- when he said, "You really gonna leave your pipsqueaks behind?" His gang got Brandon and Timmy.

If it was just Timmy, I still could have gotten away. Maybe if he bit the guy's hand, we could've blended with the crowd or something. But Razor was cautious with Brandon and didn't let him get anywhere near something dangerous, so he probably wouldn't have known what to do if we had to run for it. The only choice was to surrender. It sucked.

"Sorry I caught you?" He mocked. "See? Miss Goody Two Shoes isn't the only one who can catch a thief."

"If you're _so _much better than Brynn, then why'd they give you your patrol like a year after her?" I countered. "Ah well, I guess they had to let out the buffoon-head _sometime._" Probably not the best thing to say, but I was getting battered anyhow. Might as well go down with sarcasm.

His mouth curled. "We'll see whose laughing once I'm through with you."

"Uh, Harry…why are we tackling a kid?" Someone asked. I haven't seen him before when I punched the guy a long time ago, so he either must be new or just recently joined the gang. He was a red Kyrii and looked more decent than the rest of the bloodthirsty group.

Harry glared at him. "What did I say about questioning me, Sam?" He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, this little troublemaker gave me a bit of….inconvenience a long time ago."

"Still," he pressed. "What is he- like, seven?"

"Eight," I corrected.

"Eight. Are we actually going to fight with an eight year old?" There was something soothing in his voice, something that made people want to listen. A lot of the gang members were blinking, maybe wondering whether they should let us go. That was good, but…I don't know, it was a little creepy too.

Harry growled and seemed to be about to pound Sam himself- then stopped. His voice changed to silky and sweet, with a poisonous edge. Like venom. I had to admit, he could be pursuasive if he wanted to too."This guy is a thief, Sam, no matter how old he is. Judging from how he hit me last year, he's already been taught their brutal ways."

"_Brutal ways_?" I spluttered, but I was surprised to see Sam appearing to be as mad as me.

"Thieves are people," he said angrily. "As in all kinds of jobs, some are good, some are…just plain evil."

"Sam, he's _definitely _the latter. That's my final word on the subject. You either clobber him with us, or you're out."

Sam was suddenly uneasy. "Hey, I didn't mean it that way-"

"Good. Now hold him up so he can get what's coming to him."

He bit his lip, and I could tell that he really didn't want to do it. I guess I understood, in a way. Besides, it wasn't really his fault. But there was one thing that I wanted to get cleared up before I met my doom. I stared at him pleadingly, then at the little kids. Thankfully, he got the hint. "At least let these young ones go. They didn't do anything wrong- and you can't argue with that."

Harry looked like he _did_ want to argue with that, but he was halted by a chorus of agreements. Nobody wanted to hurt children who aren't even three yet. It'd just be wrong. Harry groaned and just waved them away. When the guards let them go, they didn't need to be told twice. Timmy hesitated half-way, and turned around with a fearful face. I just shook my head, indicating for him to go on.

Without warning, Harry punched me hard in the stomach. With no one behind me, I fell, scraping my hands badly. I felt sick. Black spots dotted my vision, as if I was about to pass out. Now that I thought about it, Kayley pouncing last year wasn't so bad. "And that's just the beginning," Harry taunted, as he pulled his fist in for another one. I closed my eyes.

Nothing came. I opened an eye, and saw a Draik that I recognized to be Brynn's teacher. He was holding Harry's wrist, stopping him from hitting me. "You are supposed to be _capturing _thieves," he told him sternly. "_Not _beating them up."

"B-but you were over there-" Harry glanced at the Draik's usual post near a jewelry stall. I glimpsed at Timmy hiding behind a shopkeeper. Woah, he was good.

"It doesn't matter whether I'm watching or not. The point is that you treat all captives with respect and mercy," he scolded. He turned to me. "Are you alright, son?" He spoke kindly, but there was a small sharpness. Even he didn't protect a crook.

"Um, I'm okay," I mumbled. I didn't trust myself to say very much- I'd probably vomit all over the place.

He sighed at Harry. "Can you to take him to the dungeons without causing him anymore grief?"

_NO! _I wanted to yell, but again, I had to keep my mouth shut. Harry grinned evilly, seeing a chance to get his revenge after all. "You can count on me."

"And if I find that you've harmed him again, you'll have to pay with one months' worth of detentions," the Draik called after him as he went back. Harry grumbled about this as he seized my arm. He pulled it roughly, not like Brynn's gentle but firm touch.

He went to where my usual cell was- but didn't stop there. He kept going until he reached one usually reserved for Master Thieves. With a chill, I realized that it was the one that Vlade and Zida had occupied. They were probably already zombies in Darigan Citadel now. "Hey, wait a minute!" I rasped in my disgustingly weak voice. "You can't lock me up in here!"

He smirked. "Oops; it appears that I've already did." With that, he shut the door loudly, making everything seem pitch-black. Pretty soon after that, I collapsed. Boy, he could really pack a punch (and not in a good way).

I woke up groggily. I didn't know how many hours I've slept, but all I knew is that my parents would be worried by now. I usually got out maybe a few minutes, an hour at the most, when I get captured. It took Kanrik nearly eight months to get out of here. What would happen to me? Well, I guess that Brynn would help if she knew I was here, or at least transfer me to a different cell. I still felt bad in taking the keys from her last month, although she probably didn't know that she helped me.

Just as I thought that, somebody whirled the door open and slammed it again. I only saw a flash of reddish brown fur. Brynn was breathing deeply, leaning against the portal as if hiding from something.

"Hello," I said cheerily. My voice was back to normal. Although I'd have preferred not to have taken that nap, it made feel me better. "I was waiting for you. I knew you'd show up."

She stood rigidly, scanning the darkness with alarm. From how she was acting, she was running away from something. "Brynneth," I called louder, so that she'd recognize my voice.

She walked over to my cell slowly and stared. Then she frowned and crossed her arms. That familiarity was oddly comforting.

"Stop acting like you're not pleased to see me." I grinned.

"I'm not pleased to see you!" She lied. Though maybe it was little bit genuine, too; that she wasn't pleased to see me in jail.

"And after I got beaten up so badly by that guy too," I remarked, studying my fingernails. I didn't have to say anymore; she knew who _that guy _was.

"You look fine," she insisted. I held up my hand. My fingers were course and red, probably bruised from the scraping earlier. "See?" She gasped. A very guilty expression appeared on her face.

I didn't mean for her to be that concerned; it wasn't her fault. I quickly changed the topic. "So enough about me, how's the book?" I referred to the one I'd distracted her with last month.

"Finished," she answered flatly, still gaping at my palm.

"Was it a good book?" I urged her to talk some more. She seemed like she needed it; first being chased by you-know-who, then me shocking her. "Because when I saw it in your bag the other day, I thought…"

She reached into her rucksack and tossed it to me. Did she carry that thing everywhere? I caught it.

Then the bell rang, and she had to go. I cursed in my head; all thoughts about asking her for help had flown out the window, and now it was too late. But I decided to look on the bright side. "At least I've got something to do now! Thanks!" I added the last part remembering Mrs. Daley telling me that saying thank you is important to a lady. She was right; I glanced at Brynn smiling as she closed the door.

Week 2

To describe my feeling, I only have to use three words: I. Was. Bored. Can you blame me? This was the longest I've been stuck in prison, with only a book for company. Oh, and I finally figured out why it looked so familiar. It was my ancient-language textbook. In _English. _If only I had my school stuff, I'd be able to figure out all the codes without Razor's help.

I finished the story. No, I am not one of those crazy-fast readers who get through with a five-ton book in a week, but I literally had nothing else to do. It was pretty far-fetched, to tell you the truth. I mean, great kingdoms falling, evil sorceresses? When does _that_ happen in real life? Besides that, it was a pretty good tale.

So yeah, I mostly stared at a blank wall, trying to find my way out of this. I had a feeling of deep despair, but one of Kayley's rules in escape training was never to give in to it. Or else she'd pound me into mush. All I could think of was that day when I secretly 'visited' Kanrik in jail in February. I remembered my old plan, that the adults should knock the person who was giving them food out and then grab the keys from the right-side pocket. Maybe I could still do that. I didn't have a grown-up's strength…but I did have a heavy tome.

A Lenny came over and handed me a meal. Before I could lose my nerve, I slammed the volume against his head; not seriously, but just enough to get him out cold. Then I snatched the keys from his pocket, hardly believing my luck. I pried open the lock. It worked!

Tucking the book under my arm, I nearly pushed the door to someone's face. "Brynn!" For a minute, I had a nice thought; was she coming to see me? Then I remembered that she probably wasn't because she was a guard and all that. But that didn't stop her earlier. Then again, she was being followed. My head spun round and round in that mental argument, but I ignored it. "Wonderful book, loving it so far," I commented.

"But…." She looked confused as I felt a bit earlier. I smirked.

"Well, gotta dash!" I said before she could regain her wits. "You tend to be the only person here who's actually nice to me." Then I heard heavy footsteps of an adult. I ran.

The Draik, the one who defended me last week, was trying to catch me. I grinned and raced faster, loving the feeling of being free at last. I managed to jump over the small moat as they were lowering the drawbridge up, losing him.

I headed towards headquarters. It wasn't that late, and they were probably still having class. To my surprise, it was a very subdued one, with them all just looking plain miserable. The Kyrii was trying to cheer them up. "Come on, everyone, we can get a move on without Hanso."

"But what if something terrible happened?" The twins said in unison. They glared at each other. Apparently even me being missing didn't calm down their fight yet.

"He's probably just in a cell," the Kyrii assured them. "He'll break out soon."

"If he was, he'd have done it sooner. I think that something happened," Kayley asserted. "We should go look for him!" The ferocity and determination in the last sentence stunned me.

Worst of all was Razor. He looked ready to have a nervous breakdown, probably blaming himself. His eye kept twitching, his hands fidgeting. "It's my fault."

"Now don't be silly!" The Kyrii exclaimed. "I can assure you, he's-" He glimpsed at the door, and his jaw dropped open. "He's right there!"

Their heads shot up. Within moments, I was tackled in a hug not so different than the one I got from the first field trip. Again, Kayley didn't join in- though there was something in her expression that made me see she was glad that I was alright.

"What happened?" She asked me later, cornering me after class.

The Kyrii asked me the same question earlier, and I gave them the same answer. "It was an accident; I wasn't quick enough." Razor's eyes widened when he heard me say that- though he was back to being scornful, determining me to have just done it for attention.

Like the Kyrii, Kayley didn't buy it. "Not fast enough," she snorted. "I taught you escape training myself, and you were plenty fast." So I admitted the whole thing to them both, leaving out Brandon and the tome being the same as the textbook. Kayley's face hardened when I mentioned that Brynn 'helped' me escape. "She didn't mean to."

"But she did," I pointed out. "Whether she knows it or not, she did."

She rolled her eyes. "That doesn't count," she muttered, storming away. I guess she's not glad to see me after all.

Week 3

All week was spent on studying the English and the Ancient-Language textbook. It took some work, but at some point I stopped comparing them and started knowing what they were without the translations. I reread most of it without the English one. When I finally finished, it was half-way through the week. That's when it occurred to me that I should teach Kayley, too.

Annoying and strict as she may be, she's a good ally to have on your side. Even if you don't need one, then you have to remember that she's a very bad enemy, too. Later, I offered to help teach her.

"I thought you said you didn't know how."

"Well, now I do," I answered.

She looked suspicious. "How?"

"Um…" I decided to come clean. "Brynn's book is the same as the textbook, but in English. I kind of got the hang of comparing each word, and remembering the meaning…"

"Stop right there. I will not be taught anything that has been touched by a guard," she declared.

"Suit yourself," I told her. "But if you want a passing grade…"

She was torn. I could see her having a mental argument with herself like I was last week. Finally, her shoulders slumped. "Fine. But you teach me, not some volume belonging to a guard."

"Alright." Then I recalled everyone else. "Maybe I should invite Julius and Juliet. They'll want to pass, and Razor's not teaching them either."

"If you can get them in the same room," she replied.

It wasn't as hard as I thought. The problem came when I actually began teaching. For starters, I'm a horrible instructor anyway, and having them trying to up stand each other was not helping.

"Hey, Hanso, what does 'dida' mean?" Juliet asked.

"It's like another word for stupid."

Later…

"No, you idiot, that means 'sister'!" She hissed at him. "Not 'evil'!"

"Then I was right," Julius said.

"You weren't!"

"You calling me stupid?"

"No, I'm calling you 'dida.'" Julius demanded to know what it meant later, and I was forced to tell him. I refused, though, to give each other more words to insult with. In the end I just taught Kayley, and she taught Julius. I partnered up with Juliet.

They all caught on pretty quickly, to my relief. But judgment day was coming.

"Hanso, read aloud the passage from page thirty four and tell me what it means," the Kyrii commanded. Razor stared at me, with a few signs of fault on his face. But mostly it was triumph; that he was better than me at something. He was astonished when I recited the whole thing fluently and gave the meaning without batting an eye. The rest of the class smiled.

Kayley, Julius, and Juliet managed it all perfectly (luckily, the word 'dida' didn't appear in any of the text that the twins did). Razor was still astounded by how good we were- so much that he stumbled over a few phrases, earning him a few marks off. I shouldn't have felt bad for him. After all, he did take this upon himself. The rest of the class agreed whole-heartedly and shot him many gloating faces.

"Where'd you learn that?" He asked me when we were the only ones left in the schoolroom.

"From a book."

"There aren't any Ancient-Language books in the library."

"I stole one, then," I said. It was technically true; I don't think that Brynn intended me to borrow it outside jail. But I was going to give it back the next possible chance.

"It's way too heavy to steal," he replied. "Tell me how you got it or-"

"Or you'll threaten me again? You know I'm not scared." I crossed my arms, challenging him. "Fine, I'll tell you; A _real_ friend lent it to me. That's all you need to know." With that, I walked out of the classroom, feeling strangely empty.

Week 4

We had the little kids again, and I had the opportunity to thank Timmy for the rescue a few weeks back. Who knows how much Harry would have beat me up if the Draik didn't step in? I expected Timmy to be like, _Don't worry Hanso, forget about it. It was nothing compared to you taking care of me! _Stuff like that. But noooo, he wanted a reward.

"Fine. What do you want?" At that point, I'd steal him the crown jewels if I had to.

"Story!" He yipped. Oh, brother.

Then I had an idea. "Alright, kid. I'll _read_ you a story. It's called _Darkest Nights_…"

Soon, the other kids joined in, wanting to hear the tale. I got a bit worried as we started on to the gory pieces- it might give them nightmares, and I didn't want that. But they begged for more, so I continued. All the while, Razor was watching from the doorway.

When the pipsqueaks left, he came over to me. He looked the same as before he joined Nort- weak and unnoticeable. "As soon as tests were over, they went right back to bullying me," he stated in a monotone voice. I was getting a bit worried.

Then he burst into tears. Just like that. Just like the time when we first became friends, in the Illusen's Day Festival. I patted his shoulder awkwardly, but all I could say was, "Um, yeah….Sorry."

"Sorry?" He barked a laugh. "Ever since Day One all you've ever been was nice to me, even when I was being so mean. And you're saying sorry?"

"What am I supposed to say?" I asked, smiling slightly.

"Taunt me. Ridicule me. But you being so kind….it's unbearable."

I shrugged. "I'm not the type to hold grudges. You know that, Big Gu- uh, I mean Razor."

"Does that mean you forgive me?" He croaked.

"I've done that a long time ago," I promised. "You just have to forgive yourself. And wait for the rest of the class to do so, I guess."

He wiped his face with a hanky. "I liked being popular. It made me feel…secure."

"It was just an illusion. Made by the Man to fool us," I joked.

He gave me a small grin. "You have a good heart, Hanso. You know that, right?"

"So they all say," I answered. "The thing is, I'm not sure whether that's okay or not."


	20. August at Age 8

The Month of Hiding (August) Age 8

Week 1

When Kanrik called me to his office that morning, I had an excuse all cooked up. "Look, it wasn't my fault that the little kids had nightmares with that stuff. I mean, they asked for it! I was trying to stop, but they kept saying that I owed them, so-"

"Hanso, what are you talking about?" Kanrik asked, confused.

"Oh, so you weren't- oh." Last night I heard that the little kids woke up crying that the evil, scary sorceress was coming to get them. Sooner or later, I knew that I would get questioned. "So, um….why am I here again?"

He raised his eyebrows. "I called you here to talk about Miss Brynneth. Why else?"

"Nothing," I lied.

"Alright then," he continued. "A few months ago, you told me that you had plans for the guard to trust you, for information and the like."

"Yeah…"

"And I admit, I've seen many examples that it's proven useful. Particularly the most recent one, which your teacher informed me of: She lent you some sort of book, which you used to knock out the security. You were trapped in a Master Thief cell, I believe." I nodded. "However…"

Darn. When you hear an adult say _however_, it's not good.

"However, I don't see what she could truly be good for. Your actions, in which you've befriended her before, are all pardoned for straightforward reasons, but for the future…"

"Wait!" I protested. "What do you mean she couldn't really be handy?"

"Well, she _is _only eight," he pointed out. "I doubt that they'll say anything valuable to her."

"For now," I admitted. "But…what happens when she grows up and stuff?" He frowned, urging me to continue. "I mean, with her talent, it's _obvious_ that she's going to be somebody one day. Who knows, maybe even Captain of the Guards." I knew that I might be stretching a bit too much, but I needed to make my reason clear. "When that point comes, I bet it'd be useful to have a thief close to her."

"That would require many years of acting…"

"Oh, it's easy," I assured him. "I could do it everyday."

"Alright, Hanso. I'll let you speak to Brynneth-"

"Brynn," I rectified.

"Yes." He sighed, looking me straight in the eye. "You're allowed to do so, then. But remember the difference between _being_ a friend, and _pretending_ to be one. It's a thin line…I should know. But you must give me your word that you will never, ever cross it. A thief close to a guard is a marvelous idea, influencing her every move…but a guard close to a thief- that's a different matter altogether."

His gaze sent shivers down my spine, making me gulp. "I promise."

"Good."

"Though," I said, "My _influence_ has probably thinned out by now. I've only seen her once in like nine months…"

"Don't worry about that." He escorted me back to class, and announced to everybody, "Listen up. Hanso officially has permission to talk to the guard Miss Brynneth, and to whomever he thinks that would aid him with his little…performance. If he asks for it, I require you to assist him too. As will I." I was startled at the last part. Kanrik- help me? How? Wouldn't that make things worse?

But he left then, so I didn't have time to ask him. For the rest of the period, I sat staring at the board and wondering what I could do- and what I was supposed to do. Kanrik gave me his trust- sort of- but I didn't want to betray Brynn or use her. I liked her. I _do _like her. But enough to leave the Guild? I don't know.

At lunch, Razor, Julius, and Juliet clamored me with questions about her, and I did my best to reply. I shocked myself when I realized how many I could answer. I've met up with her like four to five times, but it seemed that I know loads about her life; she's good with sword-fighting, she likes books, she's not a girly-girl, she's brilliant at figuring things out…that sounds like I'm praising her, doesn't it? Well, it's true. Everyone admired something about her too.

"I didn't know she got bullied. But she still sticks up for herself, huh?" Razor complimented.

"She's a _girl_ in the guard?" Juliet interrogated. "_And_ she's good? _And _they respect her? Wow."

"I like that she's loyal," Julius said. "A no-matter-what friend."

"Sounds like somebody we know." Razor smiled at me a bit. Julius shrugged and nodded. I had a feeling he agreed with the statement, but not with Razor. A lot of the class didn't forgive him as well, which got him down.

Only Kayley didn't say anything, though she did mutter, "You shouldn't have done that."

"Done what?"

She looked at me like I was an idiot. "Be friends with her in the first place! It's dangerous."

"I can handle myself."

She shook her head. "Then good luck. But don't expect me to support it." I was about to retort, when she added, "I won't stand in the way, either. That's Kanrik's orders, I guess."

"What do you have against her, anyway?"

"Against _them_," she corrected. Then she stared out the window. "Some things are better left unsaid."

Week 2

We had a field trip today- the first time in months. We also had Kanrik with us. I was a little nervous on what he would do. When we split up, he stayed and told me not to talk to Brynn this time. He was going to have a word with her. That didn't sound good.

I hid near a stall. Despite his orders not to leave the lamp post (our meeting place), I needed to see what was happening. He wasn't actually going to _force_ her to trust me, right?

"Hello, ladies," he said, walking up to them. They reached for their weapons, but he held up his hands in surrender. "I'm alone this time." No bloodthirsty criminals who'll try to kill you, he meant.

"Really?" Violet asked suspiciously. Brynn pointed her sword to him.

"Really," he confirmed, not losing his cool once. "Even thieves like a bit of fresh air once in awhile."

"Violet," Brynn said, trying to pull her away. "I think we should go."

"No!" She complained. "He's a thief, Brynn!"

"Brynn?" Kanrik inquired, as if he didn't know.

"Yes?" Her face was fearful. It reminded me of what Kayley said: If you know her name, you could do her a lot of damage.

He grinned. "Oh, so _that's _you." She looked confused. "Hanso's mentioned you many times," he explained. Huge understatement- she was all I would talk about at lunch last week. Kanrik had watched us a few times. I suddenly felt very guilty.

"Why would Hanso mention Brynn?" Violet queried, not very friendlily. He ignored her.

"You've got yourself a friend, Brynn," he stated, patting her shoulder. "Even if he can be a little silly at times," at this, he paused and glimpsed to my hiding place. I guess he wasn't Master Thief for nothing. He continued, "He's a good friend to have on your side."

"Who? Hanso?"

"Yes, who else would it be?" He gave her a hint of a smile before going over to me.

"Why'd you do that?" I asked him once we were out of eyeshot, a bit angrily.

"She's a girl who listens to authority- to adults," he said calmly. "Even if that adult is a crook."

"But-"

He gestured to them. "Eavesdrop if you don't believe me." I didn't want to, but I was dying to know.

That's why I overheard Violet say in a skeptical tone, "What a looney! How could he think you were friends with that thief boy?"

"I sort of am," Brynn confessed.

I gawped at Kanrik, but all he did was wink. "I just gave her a push; the rest will mostly be up to you."

Week 3

Well, nice to see that lessons will come more frequently from now on, though there's a chance that will be saying good-bye to the little kids soon. Not likely at this point, though, since all the mothers were remarking that they're being so well-behaved after we take care of them. Those pipsqueaks are slyer than they look.

Week 4

No news much- I'm bored. Still, when something does happen, it tends to be very bad. So I guess I'm grateful to be bored, if that makes sense.

**A bit of a filler, but I promise there'll be more action in the next chapter! :) **


	21. September at Age 8 and 9

The Month of Gathering (September) Age 8

Week 1

The beginning of my happy month started when Kayley tried to kill Razor. Okay, maybe not _kill_, but...we had a quick lesson on combat that day. Normally, thieves don't do battle. We take the stuff and leave. Sure, if we're daring enough we can stay for a minute and gloat, but only for awhile. But the Kyrii said that it's really useful, especially if you're being ambushed or something. I guess he meant me from last month.

Wisely, he didn't pair the twins up like he usually did. The results of doing that last time still showed on a couple of broken desks in the corner. Instead, Julius was benched (he was the best in fighting- fast and strong make a good combination for that- so he didn't need another lesson) and we were matched up. I got Juliet.

It was civil enough while the Kyrii was in the room. Then a messenger knocked on the door and said that three letters for him arrived, and he rushed off. As an afterthought, he paused and told us to behave ourselves. Sometimes I think that he's less responsible than us.

Juliet wasn't as brawny as her twin, but she still had lightning reflexes. It turned out that all that energy wasn't just from the candy, though that did help. I did my best to defend myself. Though it was hard, keeping silent and concentrating really wasn't my thing, so I struck up a conversation with her. "So…hi."

"Hi," she replied, trying to stab me. I dodged.

"Julius would be a better match for you," I grumbled as she succeeded into scratching me.

She swiped. "Why?" She asked in a deadly voice.

"He's as quick as you. I can barely keep up. Woah!" I ducked as she jabbed.

"I like strategy more than fighting," she said. "Julius is all bronze…I'm more of brains. Though thanks for the compliment." She would have whacked me on the side if I hadn't parried.

"When are you going to apologize?" I questioned, jumping as she lunged.

"Apologize? For _what_, exactly?" She glared, confronting me to answer. I decided not to- at least not while she had a pointy object in her hand.

"Sorry, I meant when are you going to forgive him?"

"Better." She tried an attack in my left. "As soon as he says sorry, I guess. Or if I have a good reason to."

"What type of reason do you need?" I deflected her blade.

"Why do you care, anyway?"

"Why did you care when Kayley and I were arguing?"

She pounced, and I ran out of the way just in time. "Kayley's my friend. I know things about her that'd make you hide your face in a paper bag for shame."

"Such as?"

"I don't think she'd appreciate it if I tell you." She swerved away from a blow. "Speaking of fighting," she said, changing the subject, "You know how Kayley hates having bad grades?"

"Yeah."

"She didn't exactly forgive Razor for the one he nearly gave her. And I think she's getting her revenge right now."

"Huh?" She gestured to them. Kayley was attacking ferociously, her dagger nearly touching his neck. He whimpered. "Switch partners? I'll take Kayley."

"Fine. But I haven't really forgiven Razor too," she added. I ran in just in time, blocking Kayley's blade from drawing blood. She frowned.

I grinned cheekily at her. "Come on, beat up someone your own size."

"Alright," she replied as she hit me instead. I jumped back. "You shouldn't have stopped me, you know."

I crouched down. "You would have murdered him!"

"I wouldn't have hurt a hair on his head…much." She tumbled as I tried the forward-slash motion. "You know what he almost did."

"_Almost_- but I saved you, remember? We all got higher marks than him."

"That's no excuse," she stated firmly, trying to kick me.

I rolled my eyes as I twisted around. "Guess I'm not too popular with girls today, huh? Why do you have to be so aggressive?"

"Girls? Aggressive? Who gave you that thought?" She nearly succeeded cutting my arm open.

The Kyrii came in and clapped his hands. "You all know how to defend yourselves excellently," he declared, ignoring Razor. "I think we can move on."

Razor wasn't the only one who sighed with relief.

Week 2

Those spoiled brats! They didn't nearly kill me; they nearly killed the whole neighborhood!

Maybe I should expand on that. Okay, so we got the little kids again. Because of the fiasco that happened last time, they didn't mind going to the playground. The day was perfect for it, actually, with a crisp taste in the air and the plant life looking fresh and green. That's why I was surprised not to see Charlie there.

It's amazing how much you like someone after just a few meetings. I only met Charlie twice, but I found it weird to be in the park without him. Restless after watching the kids endlessly build piles of sand and then stomp on it, I started wandering around in the borough. Of course, Kayley didn't approve.

"What are you_ doing_?" She said sharply as she saw me walking away.

"Relax!" I told her. "I'm just taking a short stroll."

"Not without Timmy!" She insisted, dragging the poor guy out of the mud and pushed him to me. "I am _not _taking care of him while you're off gallivanting."

"I'm not going off 'gallivanting,'" I lied. "I'm, um…going to Charlie's house." I was probably going to do that anyway. After I, um, maybe accidentally-on-purpose broke in to one of the houses.

She put her hands on her hips. "And how do you know where his house is?"

"I visited him once."

"You know how to sneak inside one of these mansions?" Razor asked indecorously, stepping outside. "Not even Master Thieves-"

I cut him off. "He invited me in."

That wasn't the right thing to say, either. "And you accepted?" Kayley cried. "Are you mad? That's dangerous. For all you know, he can have a pack of guards planning to ambush you."

"Charlie wouldn't do that."

"Charlie is a rich kid!" She argued. "He's only a few years younger than us- he could already have a plan to bring us down!"

I stared at her. "You are _paranoid_."

"Am I? Did you forget what happened with that Usul? He made Julius and Juliet fight- and they were one of the closest siblings I know!"

"We might have fought anyway," Juliet reminded her, going out as well. "I was already feeling those things before."

"But you would never have let them get out of hand." Well, that was true, but she frowned defiantly at her brother and Kayley.

"Oh, come on," I whined. "He's my friend. You nearly took another away from me- I'm so not letting it happen again."

Kayley's eyes narrowed. "If you're talking about that _girl_, then mayn't a point out that you _got her back_?"

"After nine months."

She threw up her hands in defeat. "Fine. We'll all go. Don't blame me if this all ends in tears."

I led the way. At first I was scared that I'd forgotten, but then I remembered the rose-colored bricks and went towards the house that had one. I rang the doorbell and waited nervously. To my alleviation, Charlie answered. "Hanso! What a pleasant surprise. Come in!"

"Actually, we'd rather not," Kayley said rudely.

"Why ever not?" He asked. "My mum's upstairs getting ready for the party, and that'll take ages. Dad's at work. Even the servants have a day off. It's safe, really."

"No," she said firmly.

He let the tone slide. "That's quite alright! It's too lovely a day to spend indoors." Then he made a face. "Apparently my parents think so, too. Like I said, they're having a slight extravaganza." I noticed he was wearing tight, uncomfortable clothes, with a collar that seemed to be nearly choking him.

I shook my head with pity, and then had an idea. "Is Hazel coming?"

He gave me a sad smile. "I wish she was. No, her mother thinks her too fragile to let her go outside. The rest of her family is coming- along with that dear brother of hers, I expect." He sighed with irritation as a thought struck him. "Sorry, I have to put yet another layer of clothing before the guests arrive. Excuse me." He waddled inside again, up the stairs.

"What? Who's Hazel?" Razor asked. I forgot that I didn't fill him in yet (because he was a jerk at that time). I quickly explained. "Well, that's awfully mean of him."

"Say that again," called a voice. It was the Usul.

I smirked. "Hi, _Ebony._"

"Think my name is funny, do you _Hansel_?" He sneered.

I gritted my teeth. "It's _Hanso._"

"To-may-to, to-mah-to," he replied. He skimmmed our group and wrinkled his nose. "Charlie didn't invite you, did he?"

We frowned at him. "He let us in, if that's what you mean," Juliet spoke up.

Ebony smiled. There was something evil about it, something even eerier than Nort's or maybe even Harry's. "But he had no right. It's my territory, if you recall."

"Last I heard, it was Hagan's kingdom," I shot back.

"You heard wrong. And do you know the punishment for intruders?"

"Nothing good, I guess."

"Normally, we'd give them a good….scare." He simpered. "But I'm guessing that won't work with you. So I- oh, sorry, _we_," members of his posse crowded around him, "Decided to play nice just this once. Instead, we're going to give the penance to the little troublemaker who called you all so cruelly. Don't worry; we're just going to give him a little barbecue."

"Barbecue?" We all looked confused.

"You'll see." He snapped his fingers. Within moments his band each grabbed one of us and hustled inside to the backyard. They covered our mouths, probably not to alert Charlie. We all struggled, especially Kayley. The look on her face simply shouted _I told you so. _

"Now," he continued. "Matchbox, please." A large, hulking Skeith gave him a lighter. Next to him was a pile of hay, propped against the manor. My eyes widened as I realized what he was going to do.

He took his time selecting a match, inspecting each one carefully before nodding and setting brushing it against a rough surface. The small flame seemed to laugh at me, and as it was thrown into the stack and grew, it roared and taunted. I started sweating. Tendrils of smoke wafted above, and soon the house was alight. All the while, Ebony watched grinning.

The fire started catching everywhere, seeping into small spaces. It began stretching to the other side. The spoiled brats laughed. "You can kiss you're posh little friend good-bye!"

I looked on in horror. I couldn't do anything; I was frozen. Of course I've been in high stakes before, but never life-and-death. My muscles just wouldn't work- and I hated myself for it.

I heard a small gasp behind us. "Charlie!"

We all whirled around- to find another a younger Usul there. She was tiny, petite you might say, and wore a fancy, neat dress. But what caught my attention were her eyes; her big, brown eyes. I instantly knew who she was.

Ebony's smile vanished. "Hazel! Get back in the house!"

The little girl started to tremble, but took a step towards us. Another. Another. Then she moved faster, racing to the house at top speed. Ebony cursed and chased after her. Some of his henchmen followed him, unsure of what to do. Mine was one of them. But I still couldn't walk.

Ebony caught her rapidly. He twisted her arms, and she cried out, her face streaking with tears. "Stop it! Let go of me!" Judging by her weak attempt at getting away, she'd never tried to fight back before. She knew it was futile, so instead she hung limp as her brother motioned to carry her away. But as she did, she scanned the crowd desperately. She fixed her piercing eyes on me. "You! Get Charlie! _Please_!"

That snapped me out of it. I shook my head to clarify it, and went right to work. The only ones who were still tied up were Kayley and Juliet- but like I said before, the girls could handle themselves. I guess once they saw one of us finally acting, they snapped out of it too. Anyway, they kicked Ebony's friends hard in the shins and shoved them against the tree.

My mind was going double-speed. I don't know how, but it started making calculations swiftly, figuring if Charlie was alive, what I could do, and all that jazz. Some people would call it a one time thing, maybe an over-shock. But hey, it's a thief's instinct to think speedily.

"Razor," I ordered, startling even myself with the authority in my voice. "You're best with the little kids. Can you make like a water brigade or something?"

He was taken aback. "Um….I'll try."

"Do it," I urged. "Don't just try. I'm depending on you, for Fyora's sake!"

He gulped, but his face hardened. "Okay."

"Timmy, please help him!" I begged to the tot.

I turned to Julius and Juliet. "Wocky twins- I saw some crooks in a pub nearby. Some of them are decent-looking; get them to help." I could see they weren't happy to be addressed together (especially Juliet) but they knew this was serious and didn't question it.

"Kayley-"

She didn't answer. She was pointing her dagger to Ebony and his friends, who were back from hauling Hazel to the house (and probably locking her in, too). "Make one move to stop us- _one_ move- and I will personally slit your throat."

Most of them moved behind Ebony, but the ring leader himself only smiled. "You're already too late. That kid is gone!"

"Shut up," I told him. "Kayley-"

"You're not going in there alone. And remember, there are two people inside."

I suppressed a grin. "I thought you didn't like Charlie."

"He doesn't deserve to die. He's not a guard, at least." Her fierce face made me relieved that she was my partner for this. I needed someone I can depend on.

"Okay. I'll take Charlie, you get his mom." She bit her lip; there was something bothering her, I knew it, but we didn't have much time. We didn't have _any _time. "Go!"

She karate-kicked the door down for me- I had to admit, that was pretty cool- and then we both darted our separate ways. I knew that Charlie was upstairs, so I had to leap up from flaming floorboards. Besides that, smoked filled the space. I couldn't see or think clearly, but I needed to get to Charlie. I coughed as I went, pulling my jacket over my nose.

I found him lying flat on the floor. I thought at first he was dead, and a burst of anger and sadness hit me. Then he moaned. He was alive, but I had to get him out of there. Carrying him was hard, with me taking deep breaths of the harmful, dark fumes. Was this what those poor meat loafs feel before they're burnt to death? I knew I'd never eat barbecue the same way again.

I made it below just as the staircase collapsed. If Kayley was still up, then she'd have to discover another way downstairs. But I had bigger problems. The doorway was completely blocked by a huge pillar made out of marble, which had probably fallen when the boards did.

There was no way out. At this point, tears stung my eyes. I honestly couldn't breathe. If I spent too long in there, I would suffocate. Then I spotted it; the window.

It was shut and bolted. No matter how much I pushed and pulled, it wouldn't open. I'm not stupid, I knew I could've broken it, but that would be hazardous because of the splinters. Besides, a phrase that Charlie said to me kept ringing in my head: _If you break one shard of glass, sirens start wailing and you'll be in mounds of trouble. _

For a split second, I hesitated. Not only would my whole class be cornered, but I also doubted that they would let the little kids go free. If they were taken to jail….but I knew I couldn't risk Charlie's life. We had to get out of here. The pipsqueaks would get over it- I think they'd prefer us being alive and them traumatized than us deceased and them alright. I grabbed a small trinket- a hair brush, I think- and smashed it against the fragile frame.

Like Charlie said, alarms rang across the whole empire. I jumped outside. A sharp sliver pierced my arm, and I mentally berated myself- _You idiot! You survived Juliet, Kayley, and Ebony, and you let one sliver of glass beat you! _But I was out. That's what's important.

Razor went to us, his eyes bulging from their sockets. "Is he-"

"No," I answered. "But he will be soon, unless he gets to a hospital."

"I don't think we have a problem with that." Though they were just specks in the horizon at that point, we saw a troupe of guards coming towards us. "There's a lot of people helping out. The twins brought a bunch of thugs from the pub, and they're putting out the fire. Though some took a few things." He was right- the fire was slowly beginning to wane, and the house was barer than before. I hoped Charlie had insurance.

"We could still get away!" I exclaimed suddenly. "If we can get everyone to-"

"Hanso, what about Kayley?" He questioned.

A lump formed in my throat. "Did something..."

"No, but- you better take a look." He pulled me around the house. On the balcony, Kayley was stranded. A few criminals spread out a rug as a makeshift landing, and it wasn't that very high anyway. But Kayley was as paralyzed as I had been earlier. In her expression was the one thing I've never seen in her: absolute fear.

"Kayley- jump!" I yelled. "The guards are coming!" It didn't help; if anything, she was more scared than before. I glanced around and saw a tall fence that reached the rooftop. I climbed, using the vines that grew there as safety belts.

"You're going back?" Razor shouted. "Hanso, don't- your lungs won't be able to bear anymore smoke!" I ignored him.

I reached to the top, where Kayley was as immobilized as a deer caught in the headlights. The sight worried me. "Hey, are you okay?" I nearly laughed once I realized what I just said. Was she _okay_? We were trapped on top of a burning building!

She blinked as if coming out of a daze. "A fire-"

"We'll survive," I promised. "We just have to go down. Are you, um, scared of heights then?"

She frowned at me. "No!"

"Then we better get going. That the old lady?" Charlie's mom did what every sane person would do if there was a fire and she was being rescued by a thief- fainted. "We could carry her together, though it seems like she's too heavy for you alone. Was that why you weren't going?"

"Um…yes." She was lying, but I couldn't ask her about it now. We each took an arm of Charlie's mother. "On three, right?"

"One," I confirmed. We took a step up.

"Two," she said. She didn't seem to mind how high up we were, for some reason.

"Three!" We hopped out, maybe free-falling to our death. But our friends wouldn't allow that.

We fell on the rug with ease, bouncing in the air once and going back down permanently. "Thanks," Kayely said, withdrawing her hand. There was blood on it. Her jaw dropped. "Hanso- what happened?"

The shard of glass didn't cause me a minor scratch; no, it just _had _to give me a large one that ran down from my shoulder to elbow. I guess I didn't feel it because I was too busy panicking about Charlie. "It was just…it wasn't- I didn't think it was crucial…"

"You'll get killed because of blood loss and smoke inhalation, stupid!" As soon as she said that, my vision started becoming woozy. I swayed on the spot, but she caught me. Then everything went black.

Week 3

Just as a means of explanation, I didn't write week two when it was still in week two, though I labeled it that way because that was when it happened. We cleared up now? Good.

Don't ask me what it was like to have a near-death experience. I can't remember much, though no, I didn't see a light or whatever they do in the movies. It wasn't fun, that much I can tell you. All I can recall is feeling numb all over, especially my heart. It was almost weightless. Once- I wasn't sure- I was on the brink of something. I don't know what, but something peaceful and happy and sweet. Paradise? I didn't know. I didn't even know that_ thieves_ could get to Paradise.

Then a fire washed over me. Not a literal fire (it was liquid), but it was as hot and as alerting as one. It flooded into my head, my arms- everywhere. It pushed me, giving me energy, forcing me to get up. My joints were still stiff, which meant that I haven't moved in a long time. I cracked open my eyelids instead.

At first everything was fuzzy. Then it all swam into focus. My joyful awakening was made even happier when I saw I was in prison. Kayley stood over me, an empty bottle in her hand. As soon as she checked me over, she shouted down the hall, "He's okay!" There was a loud cheer, but it was hushed by the patrolling guards. I took a few small steps, which I found was easy. I was nearly cured, except my arm.

"Are you alright?" The twins called from the parallel cell.

"Over here!" Razor was in the next one.

"Hanso!" The little kids chirped from the others surrounding. It was sad that they were captured along with us, but they were okay with it. In fact, some were excited- Their first time in the dungeons! Wow!

"Could someone please explain what happened to me?" I pleaded, stretching.

The twins volunteered. "The guards came and took as away," Juliet began. "They didn't want to take you to, since you seemed near death, but we insisted you were a thief."

"Sorry about that, but they captured everybody who tried to help us. We couldn't send you back to headquarters, to a Mynci managed to get a message to Kanrik," Julius put in.

"At first, the royal physician refused to see you-"

"-Because you were a crook!" They said together.

"But all the little kids made a huge racket with the screaming and the banging, so he had to," Julius asserted. "But like we suspected-"

"-He just told us it was nothing serious." Juliet gritted her teeth. "You could have been killed for all he cared. So we came up with a plan. We didn't talk to each other-"

"But we sort of knew. Me and Juliet distracted the guy with our, um, double act-"

"And basically drove him mad. While he was shouting at us, Kayley nicked some potions that Razor pointed out. Apparently, he knew a recipe that could heal you. She tossed the items to him, and-"

"-He brewed this weird, red mixture with sparks crackling on top. None of us knew if that was a good sign. Kayley almost didn't let you drink it-"

"And since she was the only one in the cell with you, it was her choice. But she did it anyway-"

"And it worked!" They finished in unison. "But we couldn't do much for the scar- we ripped up our coat and soaked it with water, then wrapped it around the thing."

"Do you guys completing each other's sentences mean that you're not fighting anymore?" I asked hopefully. They took a step away from each other, which was a plain _no._

"But we're stuck here," Razor reminded. "We were mostly waiting for you to wake up before we do an escape strategy."

"We'll figure something out," Kayley assured him. I noticed she said it very politely. "Hanso probably won't want to spend his birthday in jail."

I totally forgot that my birthday was next week. "Oh yeah…"

"Start brainstorming for ideas," she commanded. "I need to, er…have a word with Hanso." Everyone chatted in their own cell. She turned to me, and I saw that her eyes were a slight red. She bit her lip. "I'm sorry."

"What?" I asked blankly. I might have mentioned this before, but Kayley's not known for admitting she was wrong or apologizing.

"I...I couldn't do anything in the balcony until you came. If you didn't, then maybe-"

"Hey," I interrupted. "You saved me in the end."

"That was Razor," she mumbled. "I guess he's not all useless."

"Uh-huh. Look, don't worry about it. I'm fine, okay? But…" I hesitated. "I _would _like to know what made you, you know. Choke."

She took a deep breath, and then released it slowly. I had a feeling that was about to tell me one of her deepest, darkest secrets. "I-"

A gong sounded, which was the mark of switching patrols. Instead of more adults, however, there were children. I guess they were the ones who missed their shift yesterday- which was week two of the month. That means it included Brynn.

Sure enough, she gazed at each cell confused, maybe wondering what the little kids were doing here. Her friend (Viola?) tugged at her arm impatiently and started towards the end where we were. My attention was diverted, and Kayley didn't go on. She glowered at Brynn and hid in the shadows. "You're bag is near the hayloft, if you're looking for it."

I'd been carrying it everywhere the whole month, including last week. It had Brynn's book inside, and I was going to return it if I bumped into her. I took the heavy volume out and threw it at Brynn; but I wasn't very good at aiming with one hand while the other was injured. "Catch!"

She ducked (wise move) and it slammed against her friend's face. "Whoops! Sorry!"

"I would hit you really hard were these bars not in the way!" Brynn's partner seethed.

From her expression, I whole-heartedly agreed. "I have no doubt you would."

"Hanso," Brynn said; her voice was curious and eager, though she was trying not to show it.

"Yes, Brynneth?"

"What exactly happened yesterday?"

"Is this my interrogation?" I teased. "'Coz I was expecting to be tied to a chair or stretching rack or something for that sort of thing."

"Hanso!" She groaned.

I smirked…and then glimpsed at everybody in the cells were staring at us. Brynn didn't notice- she was too preoccupied complaining- but I sure did. I spent so much time telling them about her, I guess they were dying to know what our regular exchange was. They were pretty excited, some pressing their faces against the bars. It was creepy. "Alright, I'll tell you! Some of the rich kids from the other side of town set this house on fire. They had a bit of a falling out with a little boy there and took their revenge a little too far." An understatement. "Us thieves, well most of us anyway," besides the one who were too drunk in the pub, "Were there to try and help the family inside. There were a few scavenging the wreckage, sure, but a lot of us were helping the woman and her young son out. The husband was a work."

Viola…no, Violet_. _She looked at me as though she didn't believe a word. But Brynn did. "Have they managed to catch the actual culprits?" She ignored Violet's griping.

I pushed my head against the bars, gazing around. Luckily, the lesion was covered by my coat. I was disappointed to see that they didn't. At the same time, I glared at the people who were watching us a bit _too _intently. "I don't think the have," I finally said.

"So who did they catch?" She had a note of frustration in her voice.

"Any thieves in the area," I said bitterly- even the ones who were close to death. "Guards typically always blame the thieves- it's not fair!"

"And they should!" Her annoying friend stated. "I mean, you guys do break the law for fun."

"Not necessarily," I argued, thinking about those impoverished criminals who had to depend on the Guild's storage to survive. As a rule, if we had any excess loot we had to give to those who needed it. "Some people have no other option. You two live in a big castle with, I've no doubt, soft beds and big gardens. A lot of thieves have nothing like that!"

"I didn't automatically think it was thieves," Brynn said softly, almost to herself.

"I heard that!" I smiled. "And I thank you."

"Brynn!" Violet bewailed. "Don't talk to the suspect."

"We should go," she said reluctantly, picking up her book.

Violet sighed. "At last, something we agree on!"

"Bye, Brynn." I paused. "Oh, and if I 'accidentally' helped a couple of innocent kids escape, you wouldn't mind, would you? I mean, they didn't do it and there are some kids in here who aren't only four years old so…"

"You imbecile!" Kayley hissed from behind me, but softly enough so that Brynn couldn't hear. "She's not going to consent to that-"

"Okay," she consented. Kayley shut up. "But I never said that. Tell and I'll beat you to pulp." Brynn directed her threat to her openmouthed friend. Then the gong sounded again, and they left.

Razor gaped. "Woah, you _do _have influence on her."

"Does not," said Kayley irritably. "She gave her permission, as if that's any use. She didn't actually help him."

"But how many guards would do even just that?" Juliet asked. "If he has more time..."

I was getting a bit uncomfortable with everyone talking about me. "Let's have this conversation outside of the dungeons, shall we?"

It only took a few minutes for us to knock the guards out, steal the keys, and unlock the doors. I doubt that it had anything to do with shabby security; no one probably wanted to keep little ones in there, so they made themselves easy targets. I could have sworn that a guy actually fainted on purpose.

Kayley didn't speak to me at all, though I sensed that she was still shaken up by the nearly dying thing because of her. One thing's for certain, though; we're _so_ pass the deep-dark-secrets stage.

Week 4

I think I'd rather spend my birthday in prison rather than in my room. As soon as I got home mom screamed when she saw my wound. She replaced it with a proper linen bandages, and even that turned crimson quickly. I nearly passed out three times again under her care, though finally she made one that looked like an extra head that spouted from my shoulder blade. It wasn't red, so she was satisfied.

There was no way she was going to let me go to school or anywhere else, though. I didn't get what was the point. I was so _bored. _I remembered a time when Brynn became ill, and the apothecary shopkeeper said that we'd all get sick sometime. I wish she wasn't right.

Everyone besides Kayley came to visit me. Razor even brought a whole bunch of books to let me catch up- he'd hate for Kayley to be the top of the class and rub it all in. But the visitor I was most surprised to see was Kanrik.

"Well, perhaps you're not so indestructible after all," he remarked, but stared at my arm sadly. "Perhaps it is better we don't give you the responsibility of younger ones anymore."

"No!" I sat up rigidly. "I like having Timmy to play around with. I mean, he increases my thieving skills; sort of reminding me about the basics while I move forward."

Kanrik raised his eyebrows. "You mean it's handy having them around?"

"Yes."

"Hm…" He seemed to be giving that a lot of thought. Meanwhile, I was even more bored than before. "Enough about health, then. You're nine years old now, correct?"

"Yup," I answered. "Too bad it was without the falling cake."

He smiled. "Besides that, what would you want for your birthday?"

"I don't know," I said, exaggerating a bit. "The crown jewels, a castle of my own, a gazillion neopoints…"

"Something affordable."

I picked my brain, this time seriously. I shook my head. "I don't need anything."

"You're a thief, and you're saying that you don't need anything?"

"What's the fun if someone gets the prize for you?" I questioned. "Nah, but…"

"What?"

"Can you get Julius and Juliet to make up?" I blurted out. "Oops, sorry, I guess that's not what you had in mind…"

"The Wocky twins? The sugar-crazed ones?"

"Not so sugar-crazed anymore," I pointed out. "But yeah."

He grinned. "Consider it done. It might take a month, though…they're still in the Lost Desert, I think…" He began his own trail of thought, which I couldn't follow. He was lost in thought yet again. I honestly didn't think he could solve this problem for me. I know that he's the guild leader and all, but there wasn't any problem he could fix I couldn't either. Still, I won't underestimate him. If there's one thing I learned, it's that life's full of surprises.


	22. October at Age 9

The Month of Collecting (October) Age 9

Week 1

The outside world never looked so good while I stared at it through my window. A breeze moved teasingly through the curtains, filled with the fragrance of flowers. The land was greener and fresher than ever before. Not only did I want to see my friends, I also wanted to check up on Charlie. And there I was, stuck inside to die of boredom.

My arm was fine, really. It wouldn't leave a real scar, maybe just one that'll last a few weeks. If I jerked it around a bit it became sore, but mostly it was alright. In time, it would fully heal. A doctor even came to see me (member of the Thieves' Guild, of course) and proclaimed that I was well enough to go to school. But my mom insisted he was wrong. "Can't you see he's in pain?"

"Er," he said awkwardly. "Yes, it should hurt just a tiny while, but he'll be able to go anywhere-"

She put her hands on her hips. "No. I'm keeping him at home."

"Perhaps you could-"

"NO!" I clutched at the guy's robes. "Please say that I can go! _Please_!"

He looked at me with pity. "Well, it's your mother's choice when you're allowed. But by medical prescription, I think you could go now."

"Absolutely not, young man. You're staying in your room until you're all better." I tried to pout, but Mom's like the mistress of pouting (while a salesman tried to haggle a price with her, he'd get so caught up that she'd be able to steal his merchandise with ease). So yeah, I had to stay.

But it was so _tempting_. I was angry at her for keeping me outside in one of the most beautiful days of the year. It was driving me crazy, until I finally decided that I'd go out for just an hour. She wouldn't even notice that I was gone- just enough to breathe in, maybe pick a few pockets, and then relax.

I made up my mind. I nearly even did it, too. The door was unlatched, so it was easy going in the hall and keeping to the shadows. I avoided the noisy floorboard, ducked under a table, dashed behind a cabinet, and was about to go until I heard the voices. It was Mom and Dad talking about me. I know it's wrong to eavesdrop, but if you're a thief, those rules go out the window. Besides, you try not listening when your parents are talking about you.

"You're overreacting," Dad told her. "He's fine."

"Fine? _Fine_? You call showing up with a bloody gash _fine_?" She screeched.

Dad held his ground. "Dr. Kent himself said that he could handle going outside for awhile. I really don't think-"

"It's not just because of that," Mom cut in. "It's about…well, yes, that dreaded fire that nearly gave me a heart-attack (I still can't believe he went in to save that rich kid). And a few months ago, when those guards ambushed him and had him trapped in Master Thief cell."

"He got out-"

"_And _he helped Kanrik escaped without our permission."

"That's a good thing-"

"And what about that 'act' that the guild leader himself was telling us about? How he's befriended this guard girl. Do you know how dangerous that is? One little slip-up, and he's gone." Guess Mom's been talking to Kayley. "Of course we'll let him do it, Kanrik himself has after all, and he wouldn't allow Hanso if he thought there's no hope, but still- I just want to keep him safe, for a bit."

Dad patted her shoulder. "Alright, alright. We let him sit for a few hours. But remember what happened to _you_, okay?" She frowned at him at first, and then nodded slowly. I wondered what he meant. "By the way, why didn't you lock the door? Hanso had probably escaped by now."

She shook her head. "He's mischievous, but he's trustworthy. He knows that I punish him for his own good- I'm positive he won't run away." Hearing her saying that- well, I know it's cheesy, but it brought a lump in my throat. I darted up to my room again, this time planning to stay there.

That didn't mean I wasn't still bored. I tried bouncing a ball around, watching television, even reading, but I soon got tired of that. I wish I had someone to talk with- maybe Brynn, my conversations with her are always interesting. After awhile, I smelled dinner being cooked.

That was a surprise, since all our meals our usually stolen or, in my case, from the Thieves' Guild lunchroom. It was rare when Mom worked in the kitchen. Soon, though, she carried a plate of mashed potatoes slathered with gravy, plus a huge muffin with some ice-cream on top for dessert. She frowned at me when I tried to start with the cupcake first, so I ate the main meal. It was delicious. "You should try and cook more, Mom," I said as I wolfed it down.

She made a face. "That took me hours to make. If I did that everyday, I wouldn't have time for work. If you want your meals homemade, do it yourself, kiddo. Today's just a little reward for being so good." I shrugged modestly. "Believe it or not, I know what it's like to get cooped up by a parent; though unlike you, I tried to get out."

"You?" I asked indecorously.

"Don't look so shocked." She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I did. It's what made me become a thief at first, you know. Getting locked in by your own mother is a hundred times worse than by any guard, because you always feel guilty when you escape. But she was just so controlling. Eventually I snapped, and ran away for good."

My jaw dropped open. "So that's why I never see my grandma…"

She smiled. "I eventually found the Guild, which was just setting up their main headquarters in Brightvale. They were trying to make a new hideout after they abandoned their old one from Terror Mountain, and after they made a few rough starts in other kingdoms. They finally settled here, and though they were just beginning Kanrik managed to find me a home. Then I married your father."

"Cool story," I commented.

"Though I hear you have a few of your own. You never did tell me about how you broke Kanrik out, and the ambush, and this Brynneth…" So I filled her in, maybe exaggerating just a tiny bit. Moms can be good listeners after their done ranting. "Wow. You must have had a lot of fun, though I don't like the idea of you messing with this Harry person. If he comes near you again-"

"I can handle it," I assured her.

She sighed. "Okay. Perhaps it's wrong to let you stay here. You know I do it to help you, right?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"But again, it's wrong. So…" She hesitated, and then pushed open the door. "You can go, as long as you're back at sunset."

"Really?" Not waiting for her answer, I ran out the door. Then I came back and gave her a hug. I was free!

Week 2

Another field trip today, though it's a 'free' one, so we could basically do whatever we want. I was going to see Charlie, when I realized that I had no idea where he was. He was definitely not in the charred remains of his old mansion; that was for sure. I found myself wandering over to the fruit stall, where Brynn was. At first I paused, since that annoying friend of hers was there, but she soon became distracted when she chased after a Skeith that stole a purse.

I crept over the merchandise in plain sight. If I was really stealing, then this would just be sloppy, though the owner didn't notice. Brynn did, though, and raised an eyebrow while she crossed her arms. I looked up and grinned. "Um…Hi?"

"I know what you're thinking," she said. _Right. _"And you can be sure that if you so much as touch that fruit I will drag you back to the dungeons."

"Stressy!" I replied.

"Hanso!"

I smiled cheekily. "Yes?"

She glared at me, so I stood up. Then the shopkeeper spotted me and automatically reached for her broom; yes, I've stolen from her that many times. I covered my head- but Brynn grabbed the stick before it hit me.

"He hasn't done anything," she pointed out. I judged that it wasn't the time to say that I'd taken stuff there before. She looked back at me. "And he knows what will happen to him if he does."

"Only too well," I agreed, putting my arms back by my sides. Then I glanced at her friend coming over.

"You should go," she warned me.

"Yeah," I said. "You know, I don't think Violet likes me."

"I don't think she likes you either. So it would be a good idea to run before she gets here." I was a bit disappointed at that, but she was right.

"Okay." I began to jog to a safe point, but I stopped and turned back, again remembering what Mrs. Daley told me. "Thanks. For letting me help those kids out. You know it wasn't them, don't you?" I also remembered that it was her birthday coming up, though I couldn't really greet her. She would ask how I knew.

She nodded. I dashed then, bumping right into the rest of my class. They were watching the exchange, and were chatting excitedly about it. "She actually stopped the store owner from hitting you!" Razor crowed.

"And she told you when she saw her friend was coming!" Julius asserted.

"I think she appreciated you thanking her," Juliet remarked. "That was very polite."

"Yeah, thanks," I said awkwardly. "Um, do you guys mind if you stop spying on me?"

"We weren't spying," they protested.

"Actually, I think he's right," Kayley butted in. "It's a bad idea, and us looking on would just distract him and stuff. We better leave him alone from now on- if we must, we'll hear about it from him boasting about it at break."

"Hey, I don't boast-" But she put a hand over my mouth. The rest of them just shrugged and reluctantly accepted it. When they were out of earshot, I mumbled a small thanks. "No need to," she told me. "I did it so none of them would get anymore…ideas. It's bad enough already."

"Gee, no need to sugar-coat it, Kayley," I grumbled.

"I don't plan to." From the look on her face, she meant it.

Week 3

We had the little kids, so I guess that means I won't have to worry about Kanrik thinking that the responsibility is too big. Timmy wanted to go to the park, for some reason. I didn't argue- he was probably traumatized by last month, and I thought it'd be better to let him have his way. I regretted it, though, when I saw the ruin of Charlie's house. It was a black, empty shell of its former glory. Splinters of glass stood out in the garden, as if mocking me. I rubbed my arm and moved on.

I didn't expect anyone to be at the park. But there, swinging carefully as if she was scared that it would go too high, was a brown-eyed Usul. Hazel. She was a lot more composed than when Charlie's house was aflame (I guess that makes sense). Wearing a neat, pretty dress with not a speck of dirt in them and her hair arranged like a veil, she looked like a scared little girl about to be tossed in the wind.

"Is she a pwincess?" Timmy asked. Before I could answer, he ran up to her and said, "I wanna go on the swing!"

He'd done this twice before, and had two different reactions. Ebony had pushed him to the ground. Charlie had carried him up. I figured that the girl would do either one, since you can't get an answer that much different. She totally surprised me, though. Instead she yelped, toppled to the ground, and hid behind the tree.

Timmy stared at her, openmouthed. "Did I do anythwing wong?" I shrugged. "Pwincess, I'm sowwy! You can have it bwack if you want."

The brown little eyes peeked from behind the trunk. "I'm not a princess. And it's okay, you can have it." Her voice was soft and sweet.

Timmy frowned, trying to digest this piece of information. "You look like a pwincess."

"Thank you," she said, still refusing to come out.

"What are you doing there, anyway?" I asked.

"Usuls are prone to trees, usually if they don't want to be seen," she answered cautiously. "You're- you're a thief, right?"

"Yeah." She squealed and immersed herself among the leaves again. "But I won't steal from you or your family, if that's what you're worried about," I hastily added. "Though no offense, your brother sure deserves it."

Her eyes appeared again. "You won't- you won't filch anything?"

"No," I promised.

She relaxed and stepped out of the brambles, trying to clean herself up. "I guess you're searching for Charlie, right?" I nodded. She gave me a sad smile and took a little envelope from her dress pocket. "This is his address- he neomailed me. He always sends me several letters each day, even before the- the fiasco, in case I can take one before Ebony throws it in the fireplace. My brother does so like burning things." Then she gasped and put her hands over her mouth, as if she'd said too much.

"Your brother," I told her, "Is a jerk."

"Oh no, don't say that!" She trembled, as if she was going to be beaten any moment.

"He's not around here, is he?" I frowned.

"Well, no. But he has ways of knowing."

"He doesn't scare me. But I'll shut up about it if it makes you so nervous."

She nodded a bit, and then handed me the envelope. "Thank you. Tell Charlie that I hope he's alright, please." She began to walk away.

"I have a better idea. Why don't you come with us?" I offered.

Her eyes widened. "Oh no, I couldn't!"

"If it's safety that you're worried about, then you'll be fine with us. Me and Timmy will protect you, won't we?"

"Yeah!" Timmy cried, hopping up and down. "Come on, pwincess!"

"I…" She faltered and looked back to her house. She took a deep breath. "I'd love to."

The walk wasn't that long, though Hazel jumped whenever she saw a stranger went by (it delayed us a lot longer than you would think). She was in such a bad state when we left her neighborhood that I held her hand. She squeezed it, looking grateful. Soon, we were in a humble cottage. It wasn't that big and grand, but a quaint, cozy feeling pervaded it, and I instantly felt at home.

"Hullo, Hanso!" Someone chirped.

"Charlie!" I exclaimed. It was nice to see him healthy and well-rested.

"I'm glad to see you," he said happily. "Mum and Dad keep going to the bank and stuff, and they keep ignoring me. I haven't someone to talk to in ages!" Then his jaw slackened. "Is….is…that...? HAZEL!"

The little girl was standing near the fence, at first unsure what to do. But when she saw Charlie, her tense features tranquilized, and she was suddenly running to him. They nearly strangled each other while hugging. "Charlie!"

"What a touching scene," somebody murmured. A Kougra lady with electric-blue eyes was there. I nearly gasped. Brynn's mom? "Hello dear," she welcomed as she saw me. Then she frowned. "Haven't I seen you before?"

"Uh…uh…Aren't you supposed to be going to Brynn's birthday?" I blurted out. I cursed in my head.

Recognition registered in her features. "You're that little boy that found my necklace for me last year! And it seems you know my daughter. So that's why you returned it," she thought aloud.

"No…I mean yes….I mean…can you please not tell her I'm here?" I pleaded.

"Why not?" She asked. I tried to make up an excuse, but she shook her head. "Never mind, I won't poke into your business. But please, make yourself at home."

Charlie and Hazel were chatting like magpies when I came back to them. They were all grins and hugs. "So, how come you've never tried to visit me before?"

"You know why." There was something glum about the way she said that.

"She's a pwincess!" Timmy declared. "Maybe a witch captwured her."

"Actually," Charlie said, "It's probably because of the evil king father, the dark knight brother, the poor, weak queen mother, the usurper servant…It's surprising that she got out at all. I bet the gallant thief saved her." He rubbed Timmy's head.

"Yes!" Timmy agreed happily, though he quickly fixed his hair.

"So how _did _you get out?" He questioned.

She smiled. "Today was very lucky. Mum had a migraine and took a nap. My servant wanted a day off. And Ebony…" She bit her lip. "Well, this Draik man came and said that he had a tip that a group of rich kids started the fire."

"How?" I interrogated.

"Um…" she wavered. "I think he mentioned that one of his students told him." _Brynn. _So she had trusted my advice, putting even her job in line. Wow. Good thing what I said to her was true. "Anyway, since my brother's gang is the only 'rich kid group' in the borough, it didn't take long to figure out that it was him, especially after they spotted him hiding a matchbox under his bed. If Dad was here (he's in one of his business trips again), he would probably just get a telling off. But it was just Mum, and since the Draik was evidently waiting for some kind of punishment, she grounded him for a month."

"Brilliant!" Charlie ejaculated. "Positively wicked!"

"I um…I also thought you didn't want to see me," Hazel said.

"Not want to see you? You nit!" He tickled her, and she giggled. "You're my best mate! Why wouldn't I?"

She beamed. "It's been an awfully long time."

"So it has. I missed you, Brownie."

"The same, Sir Charles," she replied. He laughed. Then she glimpsed at the sun in dismay. It was sinking below the hills. "I should be getting back."

"But you'll come again tomorrow, right? You just said that your brother's grounded all month."

"I think I can convince my mum, but not my nanny. She'll tell my father, or…do something."

He shrugged. "I usually don't like to use this card, but why don't you just order her to allow you?"

She shook her head. "You haven't met her. She's…." She bit her lip. "I'll come when I can." She turned to me. "Could you please take me home?"

"No, I plan to leave you stranded here forever." I guffawed at her shocked face. "I was kidding! Come on, let's get you to your big, fancy mansion."

As we strolled, I talked with her. She was a lot more open before, a little smile still lingering on her face. "You like Charlie a lot, don't you?"

"Oh yes! He's my best friend, though I didn't know I was his until today. He's one of the two people who I could really depend on."

"Who's the other?" I asked.

Her steps wavered. "My sister, though she left. Ebony…he tried to convince me that she abandoned me, left me to my misery. But she didn't. She'd never do that."

We reached her house. Before she could enter, though, a green Xweetok appeared out of nowhere and angrily wrenched her arm. "There you are, lazy girl!" Hazel started to quiver. "Stop that stupid shuddering; it sickens me. No wonder no one wants you."

"Hey-" Timmy and I protested, but Hazel shook her head rapidly.

The Xweetok peered at me with her blood-red eyes. She didn't look that much older, but there was an air of authority around her. "Get off my garden, filthy thief."

"You better go," Hazel whispered. "Bye Hanso, Timmy."

I didn't have any choice but to return to the Thieves' Guild, and hope that she was okay.

Week 4

Everyday after lessons, I would go to Brynn's house and help Charlie move their things to his relatives' house. "My parents are being so ungrateful," he told me. "They said that it was much better to go there than stay another day in this shack- though not to the lady's face, of course." I still didn't tell him that she was Brynn's mom yet.

We couldn't visit Hazel, but we saw her. Once, she opened the curtains and waved hello to us before she was shooed back inside. Noticing Charlie's depressed expression, I said, "We'll help her one day."

"I hope so," he replied, still staring at the window. "I really hope so."

**The first part was inspired by a chapter (Huckleberries) of "Little Men" by Louisa May Alcott. I was recently rereading it when I suddenly thought that it would be a perfect scene for Hanso, though I changed it a bit. **


	23. November at Age 9

The Month of Storing (November) Age 9

Week 1

You'll never guess what Kanrik did. It was just a normal day in class, with most of us bored and staring with glazed eyes at the front of the schoolroom. They Kyrii master was saying that two special visitors were arriving today- as if any of us were interested in that. Then…it was all a blur.

Two golden streaks vaporized the lecture hall. No one could stop them, or had any idea what was happening. Even the Kyrii was taken aback. In moments, we were all tied up in the corner with the desks and chairs propped up against the wall.

Kayley glared at me. "Hanso, if this is one of your stupid pranks again…"

"It wasn't me!" I protested.

"'Course it wasn't!" Exclaimed two voices. "It was us!" We struggled as best as we could to see who it was. A Meerca duo stood there. They were absolutely identical- same beady black eyes that eyed everything they saw eagerly, same cheeky, buck-toothed grins, and same grey stealth suits that looked as if they could hide anything. In fact, the only way I could tell them apart was that one wore red goggles and the other a blue beret.

Julius and Juliet gasped. "The Meerca Brothers!"

"That's right!" They bowed to us. "Fresh out of the Quasalan Treasury."

"Came here with a favor from our favorite guild leader," the red goggled one explained. "I'm Heermeedjet, by the way. This is my brother, Merouladen."

"How come I never get to do the introductions?" Merouladen grumbled. "Ah well, Kanrik's a good boss mostly-"

"A lot better than that Malkus Vile fellow."

Heermeedjet nodded. "I can't believe he convinced us to steal a dead king's crown!"

"I can't believe we were stupid enough to do it!" Merouladen added.

"Why _did_ you do it?" Juliet piped up eagerly. "I always wanted to find out!"

Heermeedjet shrugged. "We didn't know about the Thieves' Guild yet. Since we were of course destined for a life of crime, we started taking on a few interesting clients. Vile was one of them. We were paid on time, so we kept doing his dirty work, even when they started to get harder. Then that whole business with the hunt for a crown- we knew that sooner or later he'll use us as fall guys."

"So we turned the tables on him." Merouladen grinned. "Late at night, we snuck into the tomb again-"

"It sure was creepy, even the second time around," Heermeedjet inserted.

"And we signed our names to the back of the slip of paper. Made those fancy princesses in Sakhmet look stupid, as if they didn't try to check the behind it before. Well, they found out it was Vile-"

"And arrested him. He ranted about us, of course. If he's going down, then we were supposed to go with him. But-"

"We got away just in time," Morouladen finished. "But enough about us. Kanrik called us about two promising siblings in here- the Wocky twins, I believe. I'm guessing it's you guys?" He stared pointedly at Juliet and Julius.

"Well," Juliet began. "It's…we don't really fight together anymore…"

"Don't really fight together?" Heermeedjet spluttered. "Siblings are your best allies! They know everything about you (whether you like it or not), and so can probably guess what move you're going to make even without telling them."

Merouladen smiled. "Plus, you're going to need double the power to beat _us._"

"See that vase over there? Let's see who could grab it first. Ready? One, two, three, GO!" Before the twins could react, the two Meercas had already grabbed it.

"Hey, that's not fair," Julius argued. "You got it before we could understand what were supposed to do."

"That's the trick of the business kid," Heermeedjet told him. "You have to move fast, or at least faster than the guards. Then they can't keep up. Do yourself a favor and don't get captured. It works every time. Now how about that frame? GO!"

Juliet managed to regain her wits faster. Quickly, she tripped Heermeedjet, but Merouladen was too fast for her. "Nice try, kiddo," he spoke. "But like my brother said, you need to work together, or you'll never have a chance."

"But-"

"No excuses. When you're in the middle of the heist, don't think. Act. Sure, it's handy to have an escape plan, but nine out of ten times it usually goes wrong." We all grinned at the thought of another plan gone awry; when we busted the guild leader out of jail and had to improvise. If anyone knew how important thinking quickly is, then it's us. "Now how 'bout that book?"

"JULIUS!" Juliet shrieked. It was the first time she'd said his name in months as a call for help. He blocked the bookcase while she pounced on Heermeedjet. Unfortunately, they saw what the twins were trying and switched tactics, Merouladen catching Juliet before she could reach his brother and Heermeedjet ducking under Julius.

"That was even better than before," Merouladen complimented. "But try predicting what's going on in each other's mind before saying things aloud. It always alerts the enemy." The twins gritted their teeth in preparation. "Now, about that door decoration-"

Julius and Juliet instantly ran. The Meerca brothers expected this and raced for it too- and they were closer. There was no way one of the twins could get there. As they looked at each other, it seemed like something passed between their gazes. Julius, instead of diving like he was planning to, kneeled down and cupped his hands. Juliet jumped on them, and as if she practiced this whole scenario before, she glided through the air like a ballerina. Merouladen and Heermeedjet were surprised and momentarily forgot what they were doing. Juliet landed and feinted to the right. As they went on defensive, Julius ducked underneath them and snatched the door decoration. "YES!"

"We were going easy on you," the Meercas asserted before they started celebrating. "Now how about the real game?"

The rest of the class pretty much just scrutinized them while they competed. It was amazing. The twins quickly picked up on the challenge, and even won a couple of matches. But they lost, too, and we quickly noticed the reasons. After awhile, the Kyrii reminded us that we only had about five minutes of the period left.

"Whew!" Merouladen said, exhausted. "We haven't had a contest like that in ages. You two are _good_."

"We did see a few things you guys can work on, though," Heermeedjet commented. "For example: Julius, you should've let your sister do a few more things. And Juliet, don't be so rash when you have to choose to do it yourself or hand it to your brother."

"But he's sometimes so…dominant. How can people know I'm able to do it if I let him do everything?" She asked.

"And I'm supposed to be the big brother," Julius complained. "I have to look after her, not give her more things to worry about."

Heermeedjet grinned. "Besides having to remember you're only a _little bit_ older, you also underestimate her. Little siblings can be quite resourceful if they want to- you just gotta trust them. I remember the first time I had to do the same with Merouladen-"

"Kid," Merouladen said, turning to Juliet, "If you think being five _minutes_ younger than your brother is bad, try five _years._ It was horrible; at first, he wouldn't let me _look _atanything, let alone steal them!"

"So how'd you get over it?" The twins questioned.

They shrugged. "Eventually, we realized our bickering wasn't going to help us pick any pockets. So we made a deal."

"Merouladen wouldn't be so brash," Heermeedjet began.

"And Heermeedjet wouldn't force me to hold back," Merouladen completed. "After that, it was all smooth thieving." The bell rang, and the twins groaned. The Meerca brothers, however, just laughed. "Don't worry, we'll be back soon."

"Really?" They squealed.

"Yeah." The brothers winked at me. "Kanrik hired us to do a bit of….independent studying, you know? See you later!" And like the same way they entered but in reverse, they put everything back in its proper place and were gone in a flash.

"Woah," Juliet marveled.

Julius nodded in agreement. "They were awesome! Just what we always pictured them to be."

"They were the whole reason we became thieves in the first place," Juliet told us. "It was kind of inspiring, two poor siblings who worked their way in top in the crime underworld." The twins had watched them with star struck expressions; they really must have idolized them. Before I could ask any more questions, though, she went to Julius. "You think that you could help me with the duck-and-roll trick?"

Julius's eyes lit up. "Yeah! After lunch, though. I hear that they're serving chocolate cake."

"After lunch," Juliet agreed. Together, they strolled down to the canteen, as if nothing had ever happened between them; while just a few hours before, they would have been happily strangling each other.

I guess that life really _is_ full of surprises.

Week 2

Yet another wish of mine that's gone twisted. Kanrik broke the news to us today. "I'm sure you're aware of our guests…"

"The Meerca Brothers!" Juliet piped up. They bowed.

"Yes, yes," Kanrik tried to continue. "And I also believe that you were assigned a few young charges while I was…away. Though it was unplanned, I believe that they were very useful to you in some things, or as one person told me, 'increases your thieving skills, reminding you of the basics while you move forward.'" I bit my lip. I didn't think I liked where this was going. "A few of my Master Thieves would find those type of reminders rather handy, especially when they get too- er, overconfident. So now you get to switch places. _You _are going to be assigned to _them._"

"What?" We all yelped.

"But…but…." Razor spluttered. "I'm not good enough to learn one-on-one from a Master Thief."

"I don't study with any strangers," Kayley muttered.

"We don't either!" The Wocky twins cried.

"And I _really _doubt you could find someone to suit me," I told him.

Kanrik rolled his eyes. "No complaints; it was your remark that I got this idea from, anyway." For the second time in the year, the whole class glared at me. "Razor, you'll go with somebody that has the talent you want to expand on. Kayley, at the beginning everyone here was a stranger to you. Julius and Juliet…I'm surprised you're complaining."

They frowned. "Why?" Julius asked.

"Because," he answered, "Your mentors are none other than the Meerca Brothers."

The two yelped again, this time in excitement. "Sign me up!"

Razor huddled near. "Can we have partners?" Kanrik shook his head. "Oh, Hanso," he wailed silently to me. "I don't know any of them. What if they're not nice? What if my teacher laughs at me when he sees I'm no good? What if-"

"Razor?" A red Shoyru asked. I recognized him as Dr. Kent, the guy who treated my arm. "I hear that you have a lot of talent in mixing medicines; in fact, I've seen it myself with young Hanso here. He would have died had you not made that elixir for him. Yes, I think you'll be quite a natural."

"Really?" Razor let go of my arm. "I get to study medical stuff?"

The doctor chuckled. "Yes, you get to study 'medical stuff.' Get over here, you're going to be my new protégé."

"Okay!" He said brightly. "Bye Hanso, Kayley!"

"Bested by a mere Bruce again," Kayley said under her breath. "Too bad your guard friend can't help you with this one."

I glared at her. "She got us all a passing grade last time."

"Last time," she repeated.

I was about to retort when our own Master Kyrii came over. "I'm supposed to take one of you…"

"Me!" Kayley stepped up before I had a chance.

"Alright, Kayley. You've been training with your classmates, but let's see how you do with me only." He smiled. "Don't worry Hanso, I'm sure you'll find someone suitable."

Most of the criminals that were left looked like they wanted to kill me- exactly what I anticipated. Basically, I got the guild leader trapped and then rescued him, stealing 'their' glory. As if it was my fault that they didn't have the guts to stand up to Mortak before. The best I could hope for was one who was willing to wait before he'd slit my throat.

"I'll take him!" A Jetsam said. "Come on, kid, I don't have all day!"

I was taken aback. "I, uh…okay," I said, really confused. I saw earlier than his name was Mish. He had a threatening appearance- as most Jetsams do- but the scars around his face made him even creepier. Why did he pick me? I wondered as I went with him. Simple. He was one of the ones that wanted me dead.

He led me to a nearby creek and hopped in. "Well? Don't just stand there! Jump!"

"Er, alright. But I'm not that much good at swimming," I told him.

He gave me a simper. "Good. Go a bit deeper."

"The current's getting awfully strong," I noted, trying to keep paddling.

"Nonsense," Mish replied. "Keep going."

Then I slipped. I tried to rise up for air, but the water kept pulling me down, getting in my nose, blocking my vision. I thrashed around desperately, which earned me a few seconds of air. "Help!"

"Oh, come now. Just breathe."

"But I can't breathe underwater!"

"Sure you can. Use your gills."

"I don't have any gills!"

"Sorry." Mish smirked. "Oops, I forgot. My bad. But I'm not worried, of course; I'm sure somebody who could break Kanrik out of jail could handle a bit of water."

I'm not usually that fearful; in fact, I'm a bit reckless. But I was scared then. I couldn't think, I couldn't inhale…it was like the fire in Charlie's house, but worse. The river was pounding on my head, but I couldn't keep up. I couldn't even see, the drops kept getting into my eyes and blurring them.

Then someone yanked me out, pulling me by my jacket and splashing against the flow. It was they Kyrii Master. With a lot of effort, he waded to the shore. That's when I saw that he wasn't alone.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Kanrik snarled at Mish. I was soaked to the bone and shivering.

The Jetsam's face turned white. "It- it was a harmless joke."

"_Harmless joke_? He would've drowned had we not been passing!" He sneered. "Luckily we had an experienced swimmer here, or you would've been kicked out of the guild this very instant. Get back to headquarters and turn in your badges; you're demoted to pickpocket."

"But that's the first level-" Kanrik's glare silenced him, and he scurried away.

"Are you alright?" Kayley asked me. She was troubled, even a little concerned.

I managed a smile. "You going to tell me any deep, dark secrets?"

"You're alright," she said, a little annoyed.

"Told you none of them liked me." I got up and took my coat off, shaking it. It was actually water-proof, so it was dry in no time. I put it back on.

"Indeed," Kanrik said. "That was definitely not a good choice for you. But you _will_ have to have a mentor, though. We'll give you another one tomorrow."

"So I'll nearly get killed again?"

"I doubt they'll try. When news of Mish's fate spread, they'll think twice in trying to destroy one of the most skillful future thieves. Get back home. And don't say anything to your mother," he added. "We can't afford you missing another week."

The next day, a snotty Lenny took Mish's place. "You're that brat Kanrik told me about, I suppose?"

"Minus the 'brat' part, yeah," I said, crossing my arms. I can't believe they were making me do this.

The Lenny's beak curled into a thin smile. "Sit down then….Hanso, I believe? We'll begin with escape strategies." Well, that was going to be easy. Kayley drilled every single one in my head.

"Let's start simple. Now, suppose you're in a cell. There's no guard. What can you do to get out?"

Easier than I thought. "You open the door and run away."

"You forgot that you had to lock pick it. Surely someone like you would know-"

"You didn't specify it was a _locked _cell," I observed.

The Lenny glared at me. "Fine, it's a locked cell. Now what do you do?"

"You lock pick it using your lock picking tools and _then _run away."

"No, Hanso," he sighed. "A guard never forgets to confiscate your tools."

"Oh, trust me, it happens more often than you would think," I assured him. "Besides, you didn't specify I didn't have any tools either."

"You little-"

By the end of the hour, he was being driven mad. He exited the room in a huff and told Kanrik that there was no way he was ever going to teach the likes of me. I was too flippant, too frivolous, too facetious, and a few other words that starts with an 'f' that I'm not allowed to mention.

Of course, they gave me other mentors. Each one had quit within the day. There was this overly nice Cybunny, this sneaky Scorchio, and this egomaniac Eeyrie to name a few. None of them stood a chance.

Kanrik groaned as he watched the last one walk away. "Really, Hanso? Twelfth one this week!"

"At least none of them tried to murder me again." I sat on the chair and relaxed, putting my arms behind my head. "I'm way too good for them. Besides, none could match up to me- they don't enough patience, or talent, or they're just plain mean. I really don't think you can find anybody. Couldn't you just let me have free time?"

He glared at me. "No." Then a thought struck him, and a slow smile crept up to his lips.

"What?" I questioned.

"If you want a job done right, do it yourself," he told me. At first, I didn't get it. Then it hit me.

My jaw slackened. "_You're _going to be my mentor?" He gave a slight nod, and I grinned. "YES!" Then I realized that I might have sounded too eager. "I mean…yeah, I can live with that. I think."

He chuckled. "As much as I find you irritating, I'm used to it, and it's not likely I'll kill you- hopefully. We'll start next Monday."

Week 3

I have to admit, Kanrik was a good teacher. We began with walls, which he knows is something I've never done before. "How do you get to the other side?"

"After the Lenny crosses the road?"

He rolled his eyes. "You clamber on it."

"But how? Those bricks are perfectly straight!" I complained.

He raised his eyebrows. "Are they really? Or are some dislodged? Are some slightly pressed out?" I looked again, and I saw he was right.

Feeling pretty stupid, I asked, "Then what do you do?"

"Climb," he answered, and within moments got over the wall. "Go on; try it."

I fell a couple of times, but then somehow I managed to get hold of a few. I worked my way up, going one stone at a time. As I reached the top, though, Kanrik hissed, "Get down here!" He dragged me into the bushes. "This isn't private territory. When you sneak in, make sure no one sees you. Now let's try it again, but in reverse. And do it more quickly!"

We flipped sides again and again and again. It was getting boring, and soon I knew how to do it by instinct, choosing the loosest ledges, hoisting myself up, and tumbling below. When we got out again, I asked him, "Are we done yet?"

"Try that plaster wall," he told me. Now _that _was perfectly straight. "Can you think of a way to go in? Still using the wall, of course."

I examined it a bit. With any other teacher, even with the Kyrii Master, I'd have probably given up. But this was Kanrik that was watching me. The guild leader, and yeah…sort of my role-model. I suddenly got why the twins were striving to impress the Meerca Brothers. They didn't want to let them down; and neither did I with Kanrik.

"Well, it's weaker compared to the other blockades," I said finally.

"What use would that be?" That might sound like an insult, but from him it was like a genuine question.

"It's soft enough so…" I thought for moment, and then I slid my dagger in the material. It sunk deeply, but I still managed to pull it out with ease. "I can knife my way up! I think I really could, if I had two weapons of the sort." Without a word, Kanrik handed me his own. I gulped and gripped it tightly, and then slowly inserted it in the mortar. Trying to make that many marks, I stealthily made my way up, and then toppled to the cover of the shrubs. "Hey! I did it!"

"Quiet," he reminded me. "But well done. An alternative would be to get a friend to help you up…but your way was original." He shook his head. "It always is."

Week 4

They say that a thief's luck could run out any second. I guess mine did today…as well as Kanrik's, for that matter. He wanted me to go to the armory, which was actually a long way off, not to mention the top of a hill. Now, it's one thing to climb up of your own choice for the view, but to go just to get inside a musty old shop wasn't really appealing to me. I did it anyway, though a bit grumpily.

Kanrik was waiting for me outside. "That persnickety Draik is gone, for now," he told me. "That leaves us a few minutes to look at some of the weapons."

"Oh, joy," I said as we went inside. I poked a few of their 'armor.' "Now very defensive, you think? Brynn's armor is a lot stronger than this. I mean, everything's made out of cloth! I guess it could help if there's a mage casting spells, but not when someone has a sword."

"They reserve the best for guards," Kanrik replied. "Anyone can buy, or in our case steal from this shop, and they don't want thieves getting anything good."

"That makes sense. But that doesn't really stop us, does it?"

"Nope," he answered. "We have branches all across Neopia, from the depths of Moltara to the height of Terror Mount- I mean, Faerieland." His face darkened.

"You were going to say Terror Mountain," I pointed out.

He frowned. "You misheard. Now come along; there's more to it here than old robes." We wandered in deeper. He gestured to a few shields in a corner, and I checked them out.

"Well, this doesn't help much either!" I exclaimed. "Most of them are wooden."

"Not all of them," he said, addressing the ones beneath it. I peered closer, and found about fifteen metal ones.

"Woah!" I ejaculated. "These are huge. _I _can fit under it. In fact, _you _can fit under it."

"That's what we use them for," he explained. "Sneak attacks. While a guard or other enemy is looking away, you could either slowly push it forward to get to a desired object, or slide from one of the shields to another."

"Wait a minute," I asserted. "You said that 'guard or other enemy.' What other enemies do thieves have?" I paused. "Well, aside from angry pedestrians of course."

Again, his face darkened. "Themselves. Anyway, that's not the point of this lesson. You are going to move these shields and go around. I will try to find you."

"So you called me here to play hide-and-seek?" I asked indecorously.

He rolled his eyes. "If you _have _to use that blunt term, then yes."

"Awesome!" I cried, and then started stacking them around the store. Kanrik, after I insisted, sat by the pile of wooden shields, closing his eyes with an exasperated expression. I went around until I only had one 'metalic hiding place' left. I smiled, planning to play a little trick on Kanrik, and put it on the ledge close to the ceiling. I was about to yell I was ready and then go inside, when I heard the door open. The guild leader didn't, since he was in the other side of the room.

It was green Acara lady, dressed in a purple hood. From what I could make out of her, she had pretty and elegant features. I was about to call Kanrik, but something stopped me. He said that nobody was going to be here for a few hours. So how come she was here? Glimpsing closer, I saw that she had lock picking tools.

Momentarily, I relaxed. So this is just one of the Thieves' Guild, maybe here to give Kanrik a message about something. I decided not to tell him. It'd be a fun little prank, for a member of our small community seeing him squat down closing his eyes foolishly. Using a few of the wooden pillars, I crept closer to watch.

She stared at him, shocked. But she didn't alert him to her presence. Instead, a huge smile swept to her lips. I think it should have looked beautiful- in fact, in a way it did- but there was something twisted and insane about it; that much I could tell. Haltingly she pulled something out of her cloak…..a dagger. She raised it above her head to strike. I grasped what was happening.

"KANRIK! WATCH OUT!" I shouted. Rapidly, I grabbed a wooden shield from the heap and jumped in front of him. The lady was taken by surprise, but her blade plunged down with full force, right through the shield. Luckily I had held it in arm's length, so it didn't reach either of us.

Kanrik leapt to his feet. "Hanso, what's going-" He gaped at the person in front of him. "You."

At first the lady was enraged, a few ugly lines contorting her lovely face. Just as quickly, she calmed down. "Hello, Kanrik. My, my, what a…promising apprentice you have." I had a feeling that that wasn't what she was going to say at all.

"Stay. Away. From. Us." His anger seeped into every word.

"My dear, that's not how you should treat me," she said, her tone tilting, soothing. "I know things didn't work out between the two of us. But it still could." She smiled.

"You're a betrayer. I banished you-"

"No you didn't." She giggled merrily, and for some reason that made me want to laugh along with her. "You thought I was dead."

"I-"

"Don't deny it. You didn't even do a proper search for my body. You didn't want to know." She beamed at him. "I find that very sweet, giving me a chance to escape."

"I did not!" He roared.

She shook her head at him, like he was a child instead of a guild leader. "Now really Kanrik, you're acting like a five year old. That's not setting a very good example for this young one here. What's your name again, sweetheart?"

For once, I followed Kayley's rule. "You don't need to know."

She frowned, as if she couldn't believe that someone was resisting her charms, but then returned to being a peaceful diplomat. "You're quite right. A very smart Ixi, I think."

"What do you want?" Kanrik interrogated.

The lady held his arm, but he backed away from her touch. "Oh Kanrik, I'm not going to harm you." That was rich, coming from somebody who tried to kill him a few minutes ago. Yet he loosened up slightly. I frowned. Something was wrong. "I would never do anything like that. That Heart of the Mountain rubbish- that was all just a misunderstanding." For one scary moment, he looked as if he believed her (what did she say- something about a mountain?). "Join me again, Kanrik. You've done a marvelous job- a king of thieves, as you always dreamed to be- but you know you're tiny kingdom wouldn't be complete without a queen."

He said something really smart, like, "Um..."

Her voice! That's how she did it. It was gentle, persuasive, controlling. I've only seen somebody do it once, and that was when that guy tried to save me from that bully. But Harry withstood it. He hated me enough to not listen to him. He convinced the others when he recounted how I punched the idiot. And they followed his orders…because they knew it was real.

"Excuse me," I piped up, pretending to be submissive. "May I say something?"

She smiled at me, probably thinking I supported her. "Of course."

I scampered to Kanrik, slightly tugging at his cape. "If the lady doesn't want to harm you…then why did she try and stab you with a dagger?" I pointed to the now-useless shield on the floor.

He regained his wits. "Traitor!" He screamed at her. "Get away from my sight."

Her eyes widened in disbelief, as if she didn't understand how we could _not _listen to her. "Kanrik, I-"

"Lies!" He bellowed.

Her eyes narrowed, and her face turned deadly and dangerous. "As you wish, my former lord," she curtsied mockingly. "As you wish. But mark my words, I _will _be back. And remember, my sweet, that Galem thought you were loyal. It will not be long before I use your little student to destroy you as well." With that, she raced away.

Kanrik was breathing hard, as if he ran a marathon instead of exchanging a few words with an Acara. "Hanso, do not tell anyone about this."

"But why- okay," I said when I saw his face. "Who was she, anyway?"

He looked at the door for a long time. Then, in barely a whisper, he said it: "Masila."

**And so it begins… ;)**

**Sorry it took so long, but I'm taking a few courses over the summer and I'm a bit short on time. **


	24. December at Age 9

The Month of Celebrating (December) Age 9

Week 1

It might be called the month of celebrating, but there wasn't much to get all festive about. Kanrik was still worked up about the Masila business, and honestly, I was a little bit worried. If _I'm_ worried, a reckless kid, then it's generally really bad. I know that Kanrik's the guild leader and stuff, and he survived Masila before, but the way she managed to nearly persuade him last month…now _that _was scary.

I tried talking to him about it. "I know who Masila is, sort of. The first time you met me you said that she was the old guild leader's evil girlfriend. But that doesn't explain a lot of stuff that she was telling you-"

"It's not open for discussion, Hanso," he replied. We were in his study today instead of anywhere else. All the bulletin boards were filled with problems, though I didn't pay much attention to it. Kanrik stared at them exasperatedly, as if hoping that they would solve themselves.

"She said _things didn't work out between the two of us_," I pressed, ignoring him. "What did that mean? Wait…" A thought struck me. "Were you in l-"

"HANSO!" He yelled, whirling around. "It is none of your business. I'm sure she just came there to aggravate me."

"She went at you with a dagger," I reminded him. "She probably wants revenge, not just to creep you out. Plus, you have to tell the rest of the Guild soon. They'll find out sooner or later, and believe me, I think you'll want it sooner."

"I'll manage," he said firmly. "I'm not afraid of her."

"But she controlled you last month-"

"A small slip," he insisted. "A simple mistake. It will not happen again, I assure you. In the meantime, I have other matters…." He went back to gazing at the bulletin boards.

"What's this?" I asked, getting closer. They all seemed to be lists of names, and some of them were crossed out. _Most _of them were crossed out.

"Missing members," he answered. "People have been disappearing as of last month.

"You don't think that Masila-"

"No!" He snapped. "It's most definitely not her. Now why don't you just sit back down and do something productive?" He sighed when he saw I wasn't going to let up. "You can have free time; I'm busy, anyway."

Normally I would've been out of the office in a flash, but I didn't want to leave Kanrik like this. He seemed so…well, tired. The dark circles underneath his eyes told me that he'd been up all night, and I knew how exhausting that could be. But he raised his eyebrows and pointed to the door, like I forgot where it was. I just bit my lip and went, wondering where to go.

I contemplated on what I thought of earlier; had Kanrik been in love with Masila? Ew. That was gross! But it is a possibility. I know he was angry last time, but something told me that Masila's persuasive voice wasn't the only thing that got Kanrik to listen to her. He wanted to believe it. And if that was true, then what had gotten him out of it before?

I remembered the story that he told me ages ago. She ordered him to double-cross the leader, resulting into unleashing the terrible "Bringer of the Night." He skipped over that part quickly, as if he didn't want to say much; I guess that meant that there was more to it than that. She probably convinced him, instead of using force like he implied. Then he rejoined the adventurer he betrayed earlier, and they rescued the Boris from sure destruction.

He had described Hannah rapidly, too. I instantly recounted what he had told me about her. Not much; she was an Usul, she had long, brown hair, and she didn't mind embarrassing him in public (like me!). That wasn't enough to fill in the blanks. I wish I had someone to talk to that was actually there, but Kanrik's mouth was shut and Hannah was in Krawk Island, I think. Then I realized- I could!

In the final battle, several thieves were there. What if my parents were, too? I scouted around the marketplace and found them, robbing one of these top-class jewelry shops that we weren't supposed to try yet. "But sir!" My mom pouted. "These gems are much too expensive. Surely you could decrease the price a little more?" As the shopkeeper was arguing with her, Dad slipped in the back and grabbed several handfuls of the precious stones. He winked at me when he saw I was watching. "On second thought," she said as she saw my dad exit, "I changed my mind. I'll come and get some another time."

She was surprised when she saw me. Before I could say anything, they grabbed me and ran to a nearby hiding place. The shopkeeper raced outside and shouted that he had been robbed. The guards patrolling searched his store, and then began going around the streets. My parents hid their smiles. "So, son, what made you visit us on this lovely day of work?" Dad asked.

"I…um," I stammered. Kanrik said not to tell anyone; I guess that included my parents. "Er- can you give me any info about how Kanrik became leader?"

Mom frowned. "Why the sudden interest in that?" She gave me a small smile. "You trying to overthrow him? Because that's what he said and young man, if I catch you trying to overthrow the guild leader…"

"_Mom_!" I whined. Sometimes she can be so annoying. "I just, you know, was curious."

"Sorry, sweetheart, but we're kind of busy to give you a story-time," she said, eyeing the stores she was planning to break into.

"Besides," Dad added. "We don't know much about that either. We only joined the Guild once it settled into Brightvale, remember?"

I was disappointed. "Oh, yeah…"

"Why don't you ask your teacher?" He suggested.

It took awhile, but I managed to track the Kyrii Master down by the river. Unfortunately, he wasn't trying to drown Kayley. The water had hardened into ice, and he was showing her how to set traps there and use it for quick getaways. She didn't like her lesson getting interrupted. "Where's Kanrik?"

"Busy," I answered. "I need to talk to the teacher."

"Why?" She questioned suspiciously.

I turned to him. "Do you know anything about how Kanrik became the guild leader? I asked my parents, but…"

The Kyrii glared at me. "Hanso, I'm _younger_ than your parents. A lot younger."

"Oh," I mumbled, shamefaced. "Sorry."

He took pity on me. "You want a source that's actually seen it, right?"

"Yeah!"

He took out a pad of paper from his pocket and wrote something down. He handed it to me. It was an address. "I'm not sure if she'll see you, but you might be better of it." Then he went back on what to do if your tongue gets stuck on the snow.

The house was in one of the poorest districts of Brightvale. I kept a hold of my dagger at all times, looking to my left and right. You never know with the people there. I stopped at a decent-looking house, and then checked the note. Yup, I was here. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door.

It took awhile for her to answer, but any amount of time wouldn't have gotten me prepared for the sight. A green Acara stood there, with a hood covering most of her pretty face. "MASILA!" I cried, backing away. I was about to leg it, but she caught me by the coat.

I struggled as hard as I could, until she exclaimed, "Stop it! Child, I am not Masila."

"You're not?" I turned around to get a better look at her. She pulled off her cloak. Yeah, it wasn't Masila. Her features were softer, kinder. Her eyes, instead of cold and calculating, were sad, as if she'd seen a lot of sorrow. Above all, she didn't have Masila's voice; hers was still sugary, but not enough to have that much power. But the lady still sure looked a lot like her.

"My name is Marie," she said, by the way of explanation. "Many people have mistaken me for my sister…but not in recent years. Is something wrong?"

I gasped. "You're her sister?"

"Yes," she said. Her tone was more urgent. "_Is something wrong_?"

"Um, no," I replied uncertainly. "I just want to ask a few-"

"I don't answer any questions about my family," she stated firmly. "I'm sorry, but if you want to learn more about Masila, you'll have to go somewhere else."

"But I've been everywhere! I don't know who else to go _to_!" I complained.

She studied me. "Are you a thief or a thief's child?"

"I'm both," I said.

"Have you gone to Kanrik?"

"He doesn't want to talk about it."

She shrugged. "He has his reasons, then. I apologize, but I can't say anymore either. Good day." With that, she slammed the door on my face. There ended my quest on finding out anything.

Week 2

Today was one of our real classes, but the Kyrii dismissed us early, too. He had to help with the Christmas Feast. "Plus," he supplemented, "I should warn you, your little kids are expecting presents. You should use this time to get them some." We all groaned at that.

The toy shop in Brightvale is nothing fancy, just a little apartment near a corner. It was old-fashioned, with a little bell above the door and that kind of stuff. It dinged softly as I creaked inside, and the shopkeeper looked up and frowned. It was an unfriendly gesture, but it was kind of cool to know that I was _that _famous already. "Try and steal anything…" He warned.

"That's no way to talk to a little boy!" Somebody exclaimed. She was hidden behind a shelf chuck-full of dolls, so the owner hadn't spotted her; a lady Kougra with electric-blue eyes. Wow, Brynn's mom sure pops up a lot.

The salesclerk quickly backtracked. "My apologies, er, sir and madam."

"I don't know," I said exaggeratedly. "I might spread the word on how bad this place is."

"No!" He cried. "I'm so very, very sorry. Here, have a free teddy!" He grabbed this one which I was going to take anyway and tossed it to me. I caught it. It was really cute, with fluffy, brown fur, eyes that shined like the newest neopoint, and a huggable, stitched-on smile.

Of course I wanted it for Timmy, but not like that- not by scaring somebody. Uncertainly, I said, "Um, thanks mister, but…"

"Oh no, I insist!" He thrust the bear back at me, and I was forced to keep it. Not that I minded too much; it saved me the trouble of doing it behind the dealer's back. He escorted us to the door. "Come back soon! And tell your friends!"

I blinked at the plaything and looked up to Brynn's mom. She was staring at the door, frowning slightly. "Sorry lady, I didn't mean to get that guy too terrified."

She shook her head. "I know his sort. That's the kind of person who would do anything to win customers, never mind the riff-raff. Of course, he didn't know that I was riff-raff myself." She held out her arms to reveal her shabby clothes.

"You're not!"

"That's very kind of you, dear," she said, patting my head. "But it's not good to lie."

I bit my lip. "Well, you don't appear to be. You're still pretty."

She laughed. "Sweetheart, again, don't lie."

"I mean it!" I protested. "Your hair is really nice and long, like a…a princess. And your eyes are, well, they're lovely." She smiled at me. "In fact, you look young enough to be your daughter."

She raised her eyebrows. "How do you know my daughter?"

Darn, I slipped up again. I started stuttering, while she watched in amusement. Then I had an idea. "You mentioned her last year; you said you were going to get the necklace for her!"

"Nice comeback," she said, "But I don't think you'd really remember something as trivial as that."

"Yes I do!" I replied indignantly. "It's kind of my job to remember things that are valuable."

"Oh? And what _is_ your job, little boy?" She interrogated, chuckling. I began thinking of excuses again, but she just beamed at me in a friendly manner. "Don't bother. From the way that man tried to throw you out of his shop, you're a thief."

"Thief? Thief? Who said anything about a thief? I'm not a thief," I gabbled.

"I always said that there's no use poking into someone else's business, so I won't start now. You can tell me when you're ready, and about how you know my daughter as well." She patted my head again and walked away, calling behind her, "Happy Holidays!"

At lack of anything else to do, I found my feet carrying me to the rich kid's neighborhood. I realized that it was the first time I've ever seen it covered in snow. It looked awesome! Some of the more proud people even brought out ice sculptures to show off, as if the natural ones weren't enough. Anyway, it was magical.

"Hullo, Hanso," Charlie greeted as he saw me. "Merry Christmas!" His teeth were chattering against the cold, even though he was wrapped in a thick, woolen coat. "Seems like a winter wonderland, eh?"

"Yeah," I agreed.

"It's positively freezing," he continued. "In fact, if Mrs. Daley had her way, I'd be snug us a bug near the fire right now. But I want to be out. This is brilliant!" He whirled around and dropped, making a snow angel. I smiled privately, remembering that though Charlie often acted really mature, he _was_ still a kid. "Hazel would love this."

"Why don't we get her?" I asked, already heading towards her house. "Between the three of us, maybe could make a snowman."

He bolted up. "Perhaps that won't be the brightest idea…"

"Why?" I questioned.

He bit his lip. "Her servant is there, and I've already tried to ask her to play. Daft codger her nanny is, she said no. As if she has the right to!" He scowled. "And she's actually making Hazel do _her_ work. It's barbaric!"

"Come on then," I said. "Let's rescue the little princess."

"I-" He hesitated. "Oh, alright." We marched over to the mansion, intending to sneak inside or something. Instead, Hazel was out in the yard.

She was being exerted, I could tell. She held a shovel twice her size, using only her little paws. Her breath came out in great puffs, and even in the cold she was sweating. Painfully, she pressed her little boot in the snow, lifted the sludge up, threw it at the other side, and repeated. Though for some reason, she did this all with a smile on her face.

"Hazel!" Charlie called.

She looked up and smiled. "Charlie!" Dropping her work, she ran and gave him a hug. "It's been months!"

"A month, two weeks, and four days," he corrected. "I've been counting. What are you doing?"

"Just cleaning up the snow in front of the house," she explained.

He frowned. "Well, we were just coming over to ask if you wanted to-"

"OI! What are you two doing in my garden?" The green Xweetok with the blood-red eyes came at us again.

"Oh, sod off," he complained. "Hazel needs a break."

"She doesn't need anything! She's perfectly happy to work the entire week. Isn't that right, Hazel?"

"Um, uh, of course," she replied haltingly. "But couldn't I just have a few minutes? They're my friends. Please, Sasha?"

"You have no friends!" Sasha screeched. "Get back to work…or I'll tell your father you stole his new hunting rucksack."

She gasped. "But I didn't."

Sasha laughed evilly and took it from behind her back. "Then what's this doing here?"

"Hey! That's not fair," I cried out. "Usually I am a fan of stealing things, but you shouldn't blame it on a little girl."

"What's stopping me?" She mocked.

"Its okay, Hanso," Hazel told me with her sweet little voice. "There's no use fighting over it; I'll just get back to work." She gave us one last smile and started shoveling again.

"How could she do all that so _cheerfully_?" I asked Charlie.

"She isn't usually like this. I mean, she never does argue, but she doesn't do it all with a smile," he told me. "Perhaps it's because Miss Firecracker might come home next week."

"Wait- who's 'Miss Firecracker?'" I inquired.

His face darkened slightly. "Someone I'd rather not talk about." He changed the subject. "My parents and I are coming over to dinner, but they'll probably insist that I stay with that git of a brother of hers." He looked regretfully at Hazel's house. "We will save her, right, Hanso?"

"Yeah," I promised.

"Good." He relaxed. "Well, I must be off. Mrs. Daley is probably worried sick by now." With that, he made his to his own manor.

I couldn't help but feel a wave of desperation at the pit of my stomach. I mean, so many people were counting on me; Charlie, Hazel, and the whole Thieves' Guild if I had to manage how Kanrik acts towards Masila. I almost felt like running away. But hey, I'm not one to hide from my problems.

To cheer myself up, I went around the marketplace. It was funny, seeing the shopkeepers' first reaction is to defend their goods. Everywhere, there were outcries and pleadings to not harm the merchandise. I smirked and continued, until I heard someone say, "I told you to get me a latte, not a cappuccino!"

I turned around to find rich-looking Kyrii with a top-hat and walking stick berating what seemed to be his butler. He threw the hot liquid all over his back. His servant murmured an apology, and scurried off to get his order. Angrily, I slipped out a huge pouch filled with coins from his pockets. Well, that should be a nasty surprise. I hid it in my coat.

Then I saw Brynn, sipping a cup of hot chocolate. She had a preoccupied face, as if she was thinking about something. I thought about what I could do to get her attention, but the hot chocolate stand lady solved that problem for me. "Great, not you again!" She shrieked.

Brynn looked up, frowning. I grinned at her. "Hello, Brynneth!" She raised her eyebrow dubiously, and then glanced at the stand. Realizing what she was suspecting, I said, "I was planning on actually buying something."

"Of course you were," she replied sarcastically.

"I was! Look," I showed her the pouch of coins I stole.

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, where'd you get those?"

"They were an early Christmas present," I persisted.

She was not fooled; she knows me too well. "From…?"

"From that random guy over there," I admitted, pointing to the Kyrii.

"Hanso!" She exclaimed.

I grinned cheekily. "Yes?"

She obviously couldn't think of anything to say, so she just glared. It was a bit ironic, since her Mom just defended me from 'presumptions' only a bit earlier. The owner of the stall asked her if she actually knew me. Brynn didn't deny it, which again cheered me up a lot.

"So," I said, turning to face her. "Are you here with Viola? Vinny? What was her name again?"

I smiled, thinking of it as a running joke, but she just spat out the name. "_Violet._"

Though she probably didn't know it, her usually placid face showed a lot of emotions; despair, hurt, and sadness. Something was wrong. "You don't look too happy about that."

"I'm not," she said curtly.

I studied her expression. Then I got it- I'd worn that face a couple of times as well; when Kayley told Kanrik about Brynn, when she gave Harry information about the necklace, and when Razor ditched me. She'd been betrayed. A bit angrily, I asked, "What's she done?"

She glimpsed at me, confused, as if she couldn't believe that a thief was asking her if she was alright. But we're friends; well, pretend-friends according to Kanrik and the rest of my Guild, but friends nevertheless. "You'll feel better if you tell someone," I persisted. No one knew that better than me. It was like when I was talking about why I was mad at Kayley to Juliet, or when Razor confessed why he left. All the hatred just died down.

"That's what my mum always says," she told me quietly.

In my opinion, her mom was very smart. "Even more reason to tell me, right?"

She kept peering at me with those electric-blue eyes, and then…she burst into tears. It was as if she was bottled up for so long, and she just wanted to let it all out. I was shocked- I never expected her to break down like that. But I knew better than anyone that she needed comfort, not teases. A few passersby gawked at us, but we ignored them. I gently pulled her to a bench and listened as she told me everything. I thought that being her kind-of friend, I'd have known what was happening to her right now. Now it turns out that not only did Harry stomp on her necklace, he also threw her stuffed toy in a bowl of soup and got that Viola girl to stab her in the back. With a chill, it reminded me that though I now counted her one of my buddies, her life and mine were very separate and different. After a few minutes, she stopped tearing up, seeming to be feeling better.

Then I spotted her _friend_ in the distance. For one moment I contemplated on punching her too, but again, I couldn't hit a girl. Besides, this wasn't like that stupid Lupe. Brynn actually did like her, and wouldn't want to see her hurt. Instead, I said, "I gotta go." She nodded, and I began to move.

"Hanso?" She called quietly.

I spun around. "Yes?"

She took a deep breath. "Thanks." I guess it was definitely odd, a guard thanking a thief, but I didn't want to think about that.

I just smiled at her and said, "Your welcome." Then I whisked away, still thinking about it. I'm sure she appreciated the talk- she did say thank you, after all- but all it did was make me feel more useless than ever.

Week 3

We were in an uh-oh situation, and I knew it. My parents arrived extra early at the Thieves' Guild hideout for the feast, intending to help out if needed. We met by Kanrik pacing back and forth at the hall. "Um, sir?" My father asked. "Is everything okay?"

He jumped, spooked. "Oh, er, yes, everything's fine," he lied. Normally he'd always sound convincing, but his voice trembled when he spoke, and his eyes kept darting around. I guess he was more nervous than I thought. "Would you mind doing me a favor?"

My parents exchanged glances, but they nodded. "Of course."

"Keep the children near the door, and their parents with them for that matter. I'm afraid there's going to be rather a ruckus at my announcement tonight, and they could get hurt." They tried to press him for details, but he wouldn't open up. Not to them, at least.

As soon as I promised that I'd sit near them when the dinner began, I hurried after Kanrik. He was sitting in a corner, glowering at the wall. "So, what's the big announcement?"

He was about to tell me off, but then rolled his eyes. "No use," he said. "You'll hear it later, anyway. Might as well get the information now." He took a deep breath. "Do you remember our old friends, Vlade and Zida?"

"Yeah," I answered. Then he said three little words that rocked me to the core.

"They broke out."

I gawped at him, unsure if he was teasing me or not. "Out of Darigan Citadel? Are you _serious_?"

"I'm afraid so," he replied.

"But that's impossible!" I cried. "They need outside help, at least."

"They did," he said grimly. "And I think you know who it was."

"Masila," I said.

He nodded his head in affirmation. "It gets worse, too. She's starting her own guild- and my missing members are now in her side." He sighed. "She always had a knack at doing the impossible." Was it just me, or was there a note of longing in his voice? "There's no point in denying it; in fact, I should've told them sooner. This will- well, this will shake them, to the very least. You better go back. It's going to be a long night." I didn't even have the heart to say _I told you so._

When I returned to the dining hall, a lot of the kids were there; including Timmy. He smiled at me with that cute grin. "Hanswo!"

"Hey, Timmy," I laughed, ruffling his hair. He quickly arranged it again. "I got a little something for you?"

He grinned wider. "A pwesent?" He asked eagerly. I leaned down and pulled the teddy bear out of my jacked. He gasped in amazement, and then hugged it to his chest. "Mummy never lemme have one," he whispered. "I wanna name him Teddy."

"You do that," I told him. Before I could get up, he gave me a big hug. It was a bit corny, but it was sweet. I'd been dealing with the little guy all year, ever since that twisted resolution that January. There were times when I wanted to dunk him in the river and never come back, with all the vomiting, getting me into trouble with Ebony, and basically pushing me around and threatening to cry if I didn't do as I said- but it was so worth it. I guess that 'twisted resolution' was a good thing, after all.

I sat near my parents, after making sure that Timmy and the rest of the little kids did, too. Kanrik went on the platform. Most of the thieves' attention was diverted; the speech at the beginning was usually just for greeting us a happy holiday and maybe going over a few recent events. Often, people just ignored it and concentrated on the food. So it was probably a real shock to everybody when Kanrik proclaimed, "Masila has come back."

At first, there was deathly silence. Then began the screaming. I don't know who started it; probably some idiot in the back. Anyway, within moments everybody was shouting. Then came even worse; the complaints. "Why were we not told about this before?" "This isn't fair!" "You're our guild leader, you're supposed to protect us!" "You said she was dead!"

"Everyone, please," Kanrik pleaded. "Calm down-"

"Calm down?" Mortak stepped up. I guess he was still bitter from being demoted. "Why weren't we aware of this before? Didn't you trust us?" There was a chorus of agreements.

Mish joined in. "Maybe Masila is right. She could be our new opportunity- a new step forward! A new guild leader!"

Kanrik paled. "Now, don't you think that's a bit radical-"

"We _need_ to think radical!" Some moved forward, as if to topple Kanrik right then and there. But of course, he still had some supporters that wouldn't be that easy to mess with. They ran in front of them and defended the guild leader. It was beginning to be total chaos- a beginning of a war, right in our own headquarters.

I saw immediately that a lot of the little kids would have gotten hurt if Kanrik didn't position us this way. We pressed close against the wall, and most of the parents were able to exit with their children. Timmy, though, wasn't as lucky.

"AGH!" He yelled, about to be crushed by the stampede of angry crooks.

"Not on my watch!" I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to safety. He was breathing hard, and crying. I gave him back to his mother, who was searching desperately. She raced outside without a thank you; I couldn't really blame her.

"Our turn," my own parents said. Their own faces were white, and I could see they wanted to help Kanrik. But they couldn't leave me behind.

"I can go back home alone," I told them.

"But Hanso-" Somebody from the crowd behind us laughed; a high-pitched, cruel laugh. It was getting nuts back there. My parents sighed.

"Go straight home," Mom commanded, looking at me straight in the eye. "Promise?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, I'll be fine," I assured them.

They both drew out their weapons, which they took with them, everywhere…and charged. I had to admit, I was a bit anxious, but I reminded myself that they were Master Thieves. They could handle this. I ran to the opening, just before another scornful torrent of criminals burst forth.

For once, I followed Mom's order. But that didn't stop me from being up all night, waiting for them. When they finally arrived, it was one o'clock in the morning. They were exhausted, but had enough energy to give me a smile. "Go to sleep," Mom said, kissing me on the forehead.

I was pretty sleepy- in fact, my lids were drooping- but I had to ask one more question. "Is Kanrik safe?"

Mom bit her lip. "For now."

Week 4

After what happened at the feast, nobody expected that we had to go to school. So it was very surprising when we woke up in the morning with a letter in our mailbox notifying that we were supposed to report for duty. For Mom and Dad, that meant thieving. For me, it meant learning. I'd rather do the former.

Still, we didn't do much anyway. The Kyrii had this worried expression on his face, and didn't wake up until Julius waved his paw in front of him. "Hello? I think we're supposed to be studying something."

"Right," the Kyrii said, rubbing his eyes. "Right." I guess he's been having sleepless nights, too. "You know what? Get some free time. I do have work to do after lessons- a _lot_ of work. I might as well start now."

But all I could do was stay in a pool of my own despair. How was I going to fix all this? I mean, sure, no one definitely expects me to. I'm eight years old, for crying out loud! When Brynn told me her problems, I'm pretty sure she didn't signify for me to straighten it out. But her mom was so nice, standing up for me with the shopkeeper. I promised Charlie that I would rescue Hazel from her jerk of a brother. And with Kanrik…I was the only one who actually saw what he went through in the armory, besides Masila herself of course. I know that he _needs_ help. But how could I?

Kayley clicked her fingers in front of me. "Snap out of it!"

"Ah!" I jumped in my seat, blinking. "Ow. What do you want?"

"You look miserable," she replied. "Normally, I wouldn't care. In fact, I rather like it; it's a nice change from you pestering me all the time. But I have a feeling you know a lot more than you're letting on about the whole Masila thing."

"Why?" I questioned.

"Because you were asking the Kyrii master about it; in one of _my_ private lessons," she growled. "Still, I admit that I didn't think that just one complication would get you so down."

I barked a laugh. "_One_ complication? If only."

She was puzzled. "What others are there?"

"Well," I began haltingly. "You know Hazel's problem, I guess. I think I've told you about that- Ebony's little sister?" She nodded. "And…and…" I doubted that she'd like to hear about Brynn.

She interrupted my thoughts. "It's that guard, isn't it?" I half-smiled at her, and she sighed with irritation. "Unfortunately, there's nothing wrong with that anymore. Tell me what happened." So I told her; in tiny bits, of course. I didn't want to give her the whole truth. Like me, she was loaded up with others' hitches. But unlike me, she squared her shoulders and prepared to face them. "We should tackle the simplest one so far; the guard's."

"_We_?" I repeated. "You're going to help me?"

"Those were Kanrik's orders, remember? It's not because I like you or anything. Besides," she stared at her toes. "I have a feeling I know who that guy who threw the toy into the soup. It's that idiot whom I told the necklace about, wasn't it?" I nodded. "So technically, I owe her."

"Kayley, Kayley, Kayley." I shook my head. "You really are warming up to guards, aren't you?"

In a flash, her dagger was out and on my throat. "Never."

"Okay! You've made your point!" I gulped. "Literally!"

"Good," she said as she sheathed it. "Now, I think what we need first are recruits- and the first one we need is an informer. Someone who'd tell us, or you, about what's happening in the guards without alerting anybody."

I snorted. "Except Brynn, no guard in the right mind would ever help a thief."

"They could be a recruit without knowing it," she explained, annoyed.

I stared at her. "What?"

"Think, Hanso," she urged impatiently. "Remember when you snuck in to her birthday? Who did you ask for the location?"

"A servant? But I don't think that would work _every_ time."

"Genius," she said sarcastically. "Was the servant a boy or girl?"

"Er, a girl I think," I answered.

"Girls- besides a few rare exceptions- are usually very chatty. I mean, take a look at Juliet." She gestured to the twin, who was babbling to Julius. He was just staring into space, not paying any attention. "Do you know any guard girls like that?"

"Not that I know of," I said. There was Brynn's former friend, but she was out of the list.

"Fyora, you're a pathetic spy," Kayley griped. "Okay, I guess I'll just have to admit this: When Kanrik declared your little assignment to be allowed, I did a little…research. In case you needed my assistance." Underneath her desk, she pulled out a few files.

I gaped. "Those are some guards' permanent records!"

"Copies of them," she corrected. "If I stole the originals, it wouldn't go unnoticed for long. Anyway, here's who I'm talking about." She pointed to picture of a girl, who was striking a pose and grinning from ear-to-ear at the camera. Her file read 'Sharon.' "She sits near the gates at lunch; that's around three o'clock for guards. While there, she gossips with her friends. You won't _believe_ what I've found out just by listening to her spill dirty secrets for one session." She smirked slightly. "I bet I could use some to take down the guards."

"_Right_."

"Alas and alack, that's not the case here. We have to use it to help the girl." She glanced at the clock. "We have ten minutes left. If we hurry, we'll have enough time to hide in the bushes." We quickly asked permission from the Kyrii, who was too distracted with whatever he was doing to say yes properly. The rest of the class were a bit worried, but they figured that me and Kayley together would be pretty much unbeatable, so they didn't protest too much.

As she ordered, we hid in the shrubbery. Then a group of girls came over and sat by a tree, giggling hysterically. They reeked with designer perfume. It sickened me. "So, like, did you hear what I got for Christmas?" One asked. I recognized her as Sharon.

"Like yeah!" Someone else said. "A pair of heelies, right? Super!"

"What in Neopia are heelies?" I whispered.

Kayley rolled her eyes. "It's high-heeled shoes. Duh." Oh. My. Fyora. Did Kayley just say _duh_? She hadn't said that since we were seven! She's getting infected with the girl disease! I had to get out of there! "Sorry," she added when she saw my face. "Listening to them does that to me."

"I know, right?" Another continued. "Nothing beats a pair of heelies!"

"Except platties!" Somebody said, showing off her platform sandals.

They carried on like than for what seemed as forever. Finally, just as the bell we saw from Kayley's watch that break was going to end in five minutes, Sharon said, "Did you hear what Violet did to Brynn?"

"Totally!" Somebody asserted.

Ignoring her, Sharon continued, "She totally ditched her. I was like, finally! She's been hanging out with that wannabe for far too long." I gritted my teeth. "But then she ditched me, too! For that Harry guy. You know, he's not too bad-looking. So anyway, the Draik man split them, so they're not roomies anymore! All for a girly fight! He never does that for us." She pouted. "But get this; she's moving Brynn to be with Sophia- and I get to be with Violet! Then maybe I could let her hang out with us again."

"And that Sophia and Brynn could be freaks together!" Somebody else supplemented. This time I really did stand up, but Kayley roughly pulled me down before anyone could notice. Then the bell rang, and that was that. And both me and Kayley had concocted a plan.


	25. January at Age 9

The Month of Sleeping (January) Age 9

Week 1

We already had a plan in mind, but we couldn't put into action yet. At least, not until the week after next week. Meanwhile, the tension was killing me. I kept wondering whether it would work or not in class. Too bad that the Kyrii master finally seems to snap out of it- we're having real lessons again.

"Since it's January, we'll start out with the same assignment before, with a bit added into it," he declared. "Do you remember last year's resolutions and hopes?" We all nodded. Thieves rarely forget anything. "Say them out loud one by one, and tell you fulfilled it. Then give us some new ones. Hanso, you start."

"Again?" I complained. "Fine. My resolution was to make a few new friends, which I did, sort of. Timmy wasn't actually what I had in mind, but he's great. Plus, if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have met Charlie and Hazel." I smirked. "Though of course I wouldn't have met Ebony, either." At that, the class frowned. "My hope that Kanrik would get out of prison, which with a bit of my assistance-"

Everyone glared.

"-Okay, okay, _our _assistance, he succeeded." I paused. "My new resolution…well, help a few people as best as I can. And for my hope: that I'll be able to."

"Kayley? Your turn to share," he ordered.

We were all curious; she said that last year that hers was too personal. She took a deep breath. "Mine was to…well, Hanso's assignment wasn't allowed yet back then. My resolution was to snap him out of it. It didn't really work." I smiled, and she shrugged. "It's come in handy, so I won't try that this year, I guess. My hope was to help the guild, in some way. I thought assisting Mortak was how to do it at first, but he turned out to be so cruel. But I managed to do that anyway, with getting Kanrik out of jail."

"And your new ones?" The Kyrii pressed.

Kayley bit her lip. "I've been kind of a jerk sometimes, haven't I? I guess both my resolution and hope is to fix that." She glanced at me sideways. "I've already started."

"My resolution was to be a better thief," Razor piped up. "I'm okay. Better than last year, at least. My hope was that we all got along. It _did _work; I mean, after a few fights, everyone was alright. But I broke it myself- Kayley wasn't the only one who was a jerk this year. So my hope is that it won't happen again. And," he said as his eyes shone. "My resolution is that to use all what Dr. Kent taught me.

"You mean in life or death situations?" I asked drily.

He wavered. "Well, use it not _too _seriously. Like, if someone was sick or something."

"Juliet?" The Kyrii asked. But this time the twins spoke together.

"Last year, we both had different resolutions for the first time," Julius began. "I wanted to be nicer to everybody. I did kind of succeed. Sort of."

"Mine was to spend less time with Julius," Juliet continued. "But you all know who I am now, right? I don't think that's necessary anymore. So our resolution for this year-"

"Never fight again!" It was the first time they ever acknowledged it actually happened, and I had it feeling it would be the last. "Oh, and our hope is to learn more skills."

"Well," remarked the Kyrii, impressed. "That's actually-"

"WITH CANDY!" They shouted, and laughed it his stunned face. Then the bell rang.

It's going to be one heck of a new year.

Week 2

Apparently it's going to be more dangerous, too. Today we had a little field trip- our first in a long, long time. Razor actually did improve: he wasn't asking for my help again, at least. I'm not saying that he'll ever be the most skilled thief, but from how many pockets he picked, I'd say that he'll be alright.

It also gave me more time to focus on myself. Kayley did say that she was going to be nicer, but that didn't mean she was going to go easy on me. Again, we were partnered up, and every time she saw a rich person she expected to steal from them. That was okay, but it didn't leave me much time to catch my breath.

Then we had to give our loot, which Kayley volunteered to do. "And if you see any guards," she said, and then hesitated, "Might as well talk to them. Oh, wipe that smug grin off your face!" She snapped, and then went on her way, staggering under the weight of the bag. Between her and me, we got a ton of stuff.

"Impressive," said a voice. "Kanrik taught you well." I knew that everywhere. I whirled around, clutching my dagger. "Oh, don't be silly. If I wanted you dead, you already would be." The green Acara stepped out of the shadows. This time I definitely knew it wasn't Marie.

"Masila," I seethed.

She tutted. "That's no way to treat a lady."

"I don't see one around here."

She raised her eyebrows. "You've been taught the wrong things about me, Hanso. Yes, I know your name," she said sweetly. "It's the least that a good thief would learn. You should have understood that you should never make assumptions about people. Besides, I've come to offer you a deal."

I hesitated. I knew that I shouldn't, but didn't Kanrik himself once say that anything was better than violence? "I'm listening."

She straightened up, smiling radiantly at me. "Kanrik's losing his touch- you of all people should know that. Don't deny it!" She said before I could protest. "But his apprentice…that's another matter. You're an amazing thief, Hanso. I know you're young, but you're important. But other guild members don't see it that way." I instantly thought of that fiasco by the river, and all those bitter members glaring at me. "Don't you feel tired of it?"

"In _my_ guild," she continued. "You'll be like a hero. People will be made to bow at your feet. You'll be one of the most prominent, and who knows, maybe someday take over the guild when I'm gone." She smiled. "So, what do you say?" Tempting…but I wasn't interested in power.

"You're evil!" I cried. She frowned. "Don't think I forgot that you came at Kanrik with a knife. I bet that little speech was the same one when you gave him the same offer."

"You misunderstand," she purred, but I interrupted her.

"Whatever comes out of your mouth is just a bunch of baloney," I said. "But the way you say it is persuasive enough so that people wouldn't notice. It won't work on me." Somehow, I knew it was true. I don't know why, but her talking just never affected me the same way. There was power in her voice, that much was clear, but I wasn't lulled with it.

I think it showed that I was being honest, for once. Her face contorted into an angry expression, and she didn't look pretty at all. "Oh, you're just like that Ha-" She stopped herself.

I crossed my arms. "Like who?"

"Never mind," she muttered. "But with or without your assistance, Kanrik will be destroyed."

"Not gonna happen," I said. "You should know that I'm going to do everything to stop you." I held out my dagger.

All she did was laugh. "Go on, try it. I'm most skilled at the combat of thieves." There wasn't an ounce of sugar in her voice anymore when she said it, but I knew it was true. "Yet I'm not foolish enough to try and crush you _yet_. That would cause too much mayhem."

"Lucky me," I said sarcastically.

"You should think so," she replied. "But know this: If you won't help me, you will not stand in my way either."

"What makes you think that?" I queried. "I barely follow my own teacher. Why should I listen to _you_?"

Her wretched smile returned. "Because if you don't," she answered. "I will kill your little guard friend. Brynneth, isn't it?"

My jaw dropped. "How did you-"

"Again, it's the least a good thief would learn. You have…a sort of devotion to her, yes?" She smirked. "_That _never ends well. And it's certainly gotten you in trouble before. Refuse me, and she will die in an instant."

"You're- you're bluffing," I stammered. "She's safe; nothing can get to her."

"Am I? Do you want to risk it?" She inquired softly. Her manicured fingers brushed through my hair. "I can use this threat to get you on my side, Hanso. You know I can. But since I'm nice, I'll let you stay-"

"_Right_," I butted in. "_Of course _you're going to let me stay because you're _nice. _The only reason you are is because I'll be more use to you here, probably to scare Kanrik."

"You're a smart one," she observed. "I see there is no point to try and convince you otherwise. But I'll let you have one tip." She leaned in close, right next to my ear. "You have a traitor in your midst- one that can play any part well." Just like that, she was gone.

"We should have both carried it," Kayley grumbled, returning. I jumped. "Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

_A traitor. _The word echoed in my head. I cursed inwardly- she knew it would do this. _One that would play any part well._

"Are you alright?" Kayley repeated, waving her hand in front of me. "You're looking at me funny."

I blinked. I knew I couldn't tell anyone about this, even her. "Yeah…I'm fine."

"You're lying," she told me.

I shrugged, suddenly irritable. "So what else is new?"

Week 3

To our convenience, we had another field trip. They Kyrii Master was really busy- maybe even more than when Kanrik got captured. Well, it was lucky for us. This was when we were going to put our plan into action. But my first mistake was telling the class that we were going to do something.

"Really? What?" Razor questioned.

Kayley glared at me. "Why'd you tell them that?" She hissed.

"What would happen if they come and say hello? The girl would never talk to me," I said. "I meant for them to stay away."

"Stay away?" Juliet asked, hurt. "Why?"

"Oh, it's- it's about Brynn," I blurted out.

"Oooooh," the whole class said simultaneously. They smiled. "Okay."

"Do you need to make a quick getaway later?" Julius queried.

"Um, no," I replied, and then grinned. "Were you going to offer me some candy?"

"Don't insult the candy!" Juliet scolded. "They really are useful. You'd be amazed what a fire-up bar would do." She took one out. "I wish we'd known it when we were little. Then maybe we wouldn't have been so hyper all the time."

I was about to ask what she wished she knew, when Kayley grabbed my ear. "Time to go."

She led me to a small nook, near the book stall. A disco Zafara stood there, examining the books with longing. Both me and Kayley instantly knew her- Sophia, Brynn's new roommate, and our target. A girl, who I recognized was Sharon, was tapping her foot impatiently. "Like, hurry up! I wanna go back to the castle. It's nearly time for a new hairdo!"

"This looks interesting," the Sophia murmured, ignoring her. It was like she was in a world of her own.

"Okay," Kayley whispered to me. "Grab her attention."

I bit my lip, abruptly remembering what Masila said. _A traitor in our midst- one who could play any part well. _Then I realized something. _Kayley _could do that. She imitated the good-girl act just fine with the shopkeepers. Why not a thief? Was even her resolution all part of it? Was she going to betray me right now?

"You idiot!" Kayley squealed. "She's getting away!" Sophia had put the book down reluctantly, and was walking to the palace slowly.

"I only have some influence over Brynn," I told her. "What if she throws me in prison?"

Kayley stared at me. "You're having doubts _now_? Then I'll break you out, fool!"

"Right," I muttered. "Sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cover it," she snapped. "Now we have to wait another month."

"No we don't," I shot back. Sophia was returning. It seemed that she had forgotten her sword.

Kayley closed her eyes in frustration. "That was lucky. _Now _get her attention."

"But…how?" I asked.

She gritted her teeth. In one swift movement, she snatched a book from the shelf and threw it straight at the face of Sophia. "Ow!"

Kayley pushed me to her. "Um, sorry about that," I said, helping Sophia up. That was one problem solved.

"That's okay," Sophia replied. From her sad tone of voice, it looked like she was used to getting picked on a lot. I took the book, and then saw it was _Darkest Nights_! Kayley must have chosen it on purpose.

"You should buy this," I said.

Then Sharon appeared, hands on her hips. "Pfft, what do you know? Sophia, come _on_! I'm late- my hair's getting all frizzy and stuff."

"It looks fine," I commented. "Now about the book- it's amazing." And handy- for breaking out of jail and scaring little kids! "It has a sorceress, a knight, a king, a kingdom, even a princess…"

"Okay!" Sophia smiled. "You've convinced me."

"Great," I said as I took it back. I went to the cash register and put the money on the counter. The shopkeeper raised his eyebrows, but accepted the coins.

"You don't have to pay for it-" Sophia began, but I stopped her.

"I didn't. I used your neopoints." I gave her back the pouch.

For a moment, a shroud of suspicion clouded her face, but it cleared quickly. "Well, you have quick fingers then."

"Sophia, you are so stupid!" Sharon insulted her again. "Books are a waste of time. You should never have bought it."

"In my opinion," I said. "It was worth every penny."

Sharon gave me the evil eye. "You weren't the one buying it."

"Neither were you," I answered. She threw up her hands in defeat and left.

"That was very nice to stand up for me," Sophia complimented. "But you shouldn't have done that. I mean, she does let me sit with her in lunch and stuff." She started heading back to the castle.

I went in step with her. She looked confused, but she didn't say anything. "Well, why don't you sit with someone else? She seems like an in-it-for-herself type of person."

"I'd like to. But I don't have any friends." Then she gasped, as if she couldn't believe she just revealed that to a complete stranger. "Ignore what I said."

"Will do," I promised. She opened her book and read while walking. "Wow, you're good."

"Thanks," she said absent-mindedly, turning a page.

"Why don't you have friends?" I pressed.

She scowled, slightly annoyed. "For one thing, there's Sharon. I'm totally eclipsed by her. Another, there's this guy called Harry. He bullies me."

"Now why would he want to do that?" I inquired, even though I already knew the answer.

"For power," she replied.

"Bullying an eight-year-old girl gives him power?"

"I'm not the only one he does that to," she said. "There are some strong people in his gang, and they fight anyone weaker than them. There's this girl, she's in my dorm now, and she gets it too."

"Then why don't you be friends with her?" I asked. She didn't answer, still reading. I repeated the question.

"Huh? Oh, she wouldn't want to be friends with me. She's so great with sword-fighting and stuff, and I'm just…" She sighed. "A silly old bookworm."

"Did you try and ask her? She might need a friend as much as you do." We reached the palace, but like Kayley instructed, I carefully led her around it.

"Am I that obvious?" She said, gazing upwards for a second. Then she blinked. "What are we doing here?" We were at the fields.

"Ever try reading outside?" I queried. "It's awesome. You should try it. Like, now."

"Um…okay," she said. "I'll just put my sword back in my dorm."

"But you _will _read outside, right?" I insisted. "And talk to your roommate?"

"Uh, sure." She was a little freaked out, but I knew she would do it. She inched towards the door.

I relaxed. "Oh, and say hi to Brynn for me," I added.

She whirled around. "How…"

I winked at her. "She'll understand." Then I ran away before she could ask any more questions, trying to find Kayley. It wasn't that much of an effort.

She was speaking to Harry. "Her sword is in her room," she seemed to be continuing. "She'll be completely defenseless, so you can take your revenge or whatever on what she's done."

"I thought I told you it was a one-time thing," Harry said, but he didn't seem that angry. He grinned. "Are you stalking me?"

I nearly died laughing. Kayley resisted the urge to slap him, but her hand twitched. I knew one more thing would set her off. "No."

"Why are you telling us this?" A Kyrii questioned. He was the guy who tried to save me from him last time- Sam, I think. He looked more tired and broken-in, as if he didn't have much courage any more to answer back to Harry. But he was still defiantly scowling.

"Let's just say…I have a grudge on this particular guard," Kayley replied calmly. She was a brilliant actress.

He turned to the whole group. "Are we trying to beat up little kids again? Don't you think that's a bit unfair?" Again, his voice was smooth and cogent. It creepily reminded me of someone.

"Sam," Harry growled.

He backed down a little, but stood his ground. "You said yourself we shouldn't trust thieves."

"This one doesn't lie," he promised. "I've had…dealings with her before, regarding Miss Goody-Two-Shoes."

"But-" Harry held his hand up. Sam became silent, although he sighed with irritation. "Fine."

"Oh, look, there she is now," Kayley pointed out. Sam glared at her, but she quickly disappeared. For awhile even I couldn't find her, but she yanked me under the bushes. "Now we watch. If we both did are jobs right, the girl's safe for now. If we didn't…"

"She'll be in for a beating," I said glumly.

She shrugged. "That's not such a loss." I glowered at her. "I said I'd be nicer. I didn't say I'd like her."

Brynn cheerfully came inside the field. When she saw Harry, her whole demeanor changed. She stiffened, and her eyes widened. She tried to go back, but Harry's gang blocked the gate. Smirking, Harry went right up to her and pushed her down in the mud. I wanted to help, but that would ruin the whole plan. Kayley, who probably guessed my thoughts, kept a firm grip on my arm.

"So what should we do with her?" Harry taunted. "Kick her? Punch her?" He started listing the ways they could beat her up, and with each one I became madder and madder. Brynn seemed to have given up hope on getting away, so she just looked up at the sky. I could see why she did that- it's always very comforting, seeing the clear, perfect blue.

Then a flying book whizzed by. It hit Harry on the back of his head, and he jolted forward. His eyes burned, and he spun around to see who did it.

"Pick on someone in your own age group!" Sophia yelled. I admit, I had my doubts about her earlier, but it seemed like she really did have guts. "Better still, don't pick on anyone at all."

"You're going to regret that!" Harry spat. He and his gang forgot about Brynn, and were advancing to her. Sophia glanced at Brynn, but she kept her head held high. She stared at Harry boldly.

"Let's see if your guard friend is as nice as you say she is," Kayley muttered. Brynn was having an inner conflict. She grabbed the book and was deciding what do with it. Then she glimpsed at Sophia, and a new determination crept back in her eyes. She threw the book at Harry's head.

"That's it! I've had it!" He screamed. If looked daggers at Brynn. "Don't think this is over, girl," he snarled before he left, his friends following him. I saw Viola- um, Violet- with them, and I gritted my teeth. Sorry excuse for a friend.

Brynn snatched Sophia's book from the ground. She gaped when she saw what it was. "I've read this!"

"I haven't actually," Sophia told her. "I bought it on my patrol. Sharon said books are a waste of time and I shouldn't have bought it, but I did anyway."

"It's a very good book," she commented.

"I was actually looking for you," Sophia said. "On the way back, I started reading the book. I'm very good at walking whilst reading. Anyway, this blue Ixi said it was a good book, and to say 'Hi to Brynn.' He said you'd understand, because I'm really confused."

"Hanso," she whispered under her breath.

"Hanso?" Sophia reiterated, appearing very alarmed at my name. "Wait, isn't he that thief who keeps escaping?"

"He's not that bad," Brynn assured her. I couldn't help but grin.

"Okay, Brynn," she said, clearly wanting to change the subject. "Anyway, lucky I found you when I did!"

"Very lucky!" Brynn agreed.

Kayley and I exchanged smiles. Little did they know, luck had nothing to do with it.

Week 4

We had free time, and Kayley spent much of it searching through the records. "We need one more recruit," she told me. "The leader. Once we have him or her, we won't need to get anyone else. The person, who'll preferably be older, will also protect the target-"

"Brynn," I corrected.

"Whatever." She continued. "He or she will also get other people to help, too, so it'll rather be somebody persuasive."

"I know just the guy," I said immediately.

She raised her eyebrows. "It's that Kyrii person, isn't it? The one in Harry group, with that…voice." She frowned. "He nearly convinced _me _that I was untrustworthy, and with just a few words! I'll definitely look into him. But then again, he is in Harry's gang. We might want to choose someone more convenient."

"Trust me, he's amazing," I pressed.

She shrugged. "We'll see. You going to do anything productive today?"

"Uh, yeah," I answered. "I was going to pay somebody a visit."

Her eyes narrowed. "Who?"

"Just a person."

She sighed. "If it's your guard friend, you don't have to keep it a secret anymore, remember?"

"I'll keep that in mind." Then I raced to the Kyrii Master, who tiredly gave me his permission. After that, I headed straight towards Marie's house.

I _needed _to know what happened. The stakes were getting higher- now there was a spy among us. I had to end this as soon as possible. Tripping over the cobblestones, I made my way to the door. I hesitated briefly, and then knocked.

This time, the door opened at once. I was about to open my mouth, but Marie took one look at me and pulled me inside by the coat. "You!"

"Um, me," I said, confused.

"You're that child who visited me a few weeks ago," she went on. "_Before _the announcement of Masila's return. You know something." She scrutinized me from head to toe, and then sighed. "Stupid of me not to realize before. You're Hanso, aren't you? Kanrik's apprentice."

"Not exactly," I told her. "I mean, he's my mentor, but…"

"He refers to you as his apprentice," she replied. That shut me up. Did he really? I didn't know what to think. Scared? Annoyed? Pressured? One thing I knew: happiness was in the mix. "He has already come and talked to me, swearing to tell no one exactly what had happened in the armory. But you were there, weren't you?"

I shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry to hear that," she murmured. I was surprised. What did she mean by that? "The things she must have made you do…you were lucky to have that fluke…"

"What?" I asked.

She shook her head and sat me down in a table, and then gave me cookies (fresh from the oven!) and milk. "Eat these," she ordered. "It'll relax you enough to discuss...what you need."

I wasn't going to argue. I bit into the warm biscuit, savoring the melted-chocolate flavor. Mom could have probably made some as good, but she never had the initiative. It was as if I flashbacked to when I was only a few years old, when she spent some time off of thieving to take care of me. "Thanks, lady."

She smiled slightly. "I have a son, you see. I know boys adore them. My husband did, too, until he…" Her voice trailed off.

"Hello? Er, Mrs. Marie? Are you alright?"

In what seemed like a trance, she said, "He was a general, once. He was even one of the best in the guard, and in charge of a little group of his own. Always brilliant, always indomitable…"

"Wait," I said, shocked. "You were a _thief, _and you married a _guard_?"

For awhile, she gazed at something. I turned to see what she was looking at: On the mantelpiece was a photograph of two Kyriis (one seemed to be the father, and the other a son) and an Acara (a much younger and happier version of her). Then she seemed to come to herself. "I'm sorry, what?" I repeated the question. She shook her head. "Of course not; I had to quit the Thieves' Guild when we got engaged, but when he- he died, I rejoined. A relationship between a thief and a guard could _never_ work."

"Oh," I said. Quickly, I changed the topic. "What did you mean by it being a fluke?"

Her brow furrowed. "Meeting Masila, weren't you controlled by her voice?"

I shrugged. "Not really. I know it had power and all, but it didn't fool me much."

She wore a contemplative expression, and then resumed. "What do you want to know?"

"_Exactly _what happened in the Ice Caves," I answered. "How'd Kanrik beat Masila in the first place?"

She frowned thoughtfully. "It all began when Galem found a bunch of old scrolls," she started. "They were covered with runes. One of his wise scribes was able to decipher a few; it was the location of some sort of unimaginable treasure. Naturally, he sent his best to find it."

"Which included Kanrik," I guessed.

She nodded. "Unlike the other thieves, who greedily began hunting around all of Neopia, he knew he would need help. He enlisted the assistance of a certain treasure-hunter extraordinaire: Hannah the Brave. She was…surprising. Strong, smart, masterful, she was a diamond in the rough. Or rough house, I should say." She smiled at some memory.

I didn't have time for this. "Ahem."

"Sorry, dear," she apologized. "It's been a long time since I took a trip down memory-lane, and I want to reminisce. As I was saying, Hannah was an amazing Usul. There were stories about her far and wide that said of her bravery and quick-thinking. With a bit of…convincing-"

"It involved something shiny, right?" I smirked.

"Yes. With a bit of that, she agreed to help him find the treasure. Their lead was that the ancient runes appeared to be like the ones she encountered in the Lost Desert. Along the way…" She paused. "Well, he really liked her."

"So?"

"He became much attached," she told me.

"Yeah, I get it," I said irritably. "Could you please get on with the story?"

"I think you're not getting the point." She stared at me. "He really, really liked her."

What was she talking about? All she was saying was….it clicked. I nearly spluttered the milk out. "He was _in love_ with her!"

"Perhaps I shouldn't be telling you this," she murmured. "I'm not completely, hundred-percent sure myself. But it appeared so- he told her about his dead sister, at least. He was supposed to think up a cover story; he's very good at that, you know. But instead, he told her part of the truth. It was one of his most painful pieces of his history, and yet he shared it with somebody he'd only known for about a week."

I tried to wrap my mind around this. "But what about Masila?"

"With her, it was just an infatuation," she said. "An infatuation caused by lies and empty promises- nothing more. She had to work for months before she won his heart. He was very loyal to Galem, though he was unfair. The old guild leader wanted the riches for himself; he never thought about the guild. I think that realization, and that Masila was the one who was whispering it to his ear, was the main thing that drove him to her in the first place. Even though I warned him not to."

"So then what happened?" I said eagerly.

"Like I said, Kanrik was very loyal. He took his affection towards Hannah as a dishonorable sign to Masila. That caused him to act rashly, later. As soon as he got the 'treasure' (which was an old coffin, by the way), and even though Hannah got marked by a curse, he left her in a ditch to die."

My jaw dropped. I never thought that Kanrik would be able to do that- this was definitely not part of the story he told me. The only thing he said was the word 'betrayed,' then quickly skipped over it. "Isn't that a bit harsh?"

"He confessed to me that he hated himself for it later. Anyway, he was too muddled to make sure she perished properly, and even carelessly spoke the location of the hideout. Hastily, he tried to return. But Masila intercepted."

"She commanded him to release the monster," I recalled.

"Not commanded," Marie said. "Convinced. She said that using the beast's power, they would be able to rule the Guild together." I shivered involuntarily. "But it failed, and Galem captured Kanrik. And he wanted to kill him." She stopped. "Perhaps it would have ended there, if not for Masila's own feelings for Kanrik."

"_What_?" I yelped.

"No heart is completely made of ice," she told me. Strangely, it reminded me of what I thought of Kayley last year. "She was fond of Kanrik, at the very least, though of course she schooled her emotions so not as to care about him _too _much. She got Kanrik kicked out of the Guild instead- and to thieves…"

"It's a fate worse than death," I completed. I'd been taught than line ever since I was old enough to understand it, and I knew that it was true. "Then?"

"Kanrik was poisoned and left stranded- but he had a fighting chance to live. With good fortune, he found Hannah and a Bori called Armin camping in a cave. He regained their trust; but after a brief scuffle, that is." She shook her head. "Armin told him about the Bori civilization. It was a war: Hannah with her friends and the Boris against the Thieves' Guild. In a deadly duel, Kanrik killed Galem." When I was seven, I thought that was pretty awesome. Now? Not so much. "I know what you're thinking; and I have to add, he gave it up. Remember, he _never_ did it again. There's nothing much worth telling after that, except that Masila escaped, swearing revenge. Kanrik saved Hannah from the curse by taking her Taelia. They keep in touch, but not much."

"But then…how did Kanrik defeat Masila?"

She stared at me sadly. "Don't you see? She escaped- there was never a battle. He _never_ beat her." That hit me hard. I'd been relying on an old technique or weapon or something. Now I knew there wasn't one- we'll have to find a solution from scratch. Seeing my despairing face, Marie continued, "There is one more piece of information you should hear, though."

"What?" I asked.

"In the world, there are three types of people." She held up a finger. "One is the followers: They can be great in their own way, they can even be at times resistant, but when in came down to it, they let others tell them what to do. There's nothing wrong with that," she added. "Some simply respect authority. Some can turn out to be both a great leader _and _follower, though that's tricky. Which leads me to my second one-"

"A leader?"

"Yes," she answered. "These are the most persuasive, the most skillful, the most ambitious. Kanrik himself can motivate people, if you've ever seen him demonstrate it." I thought back, to the first time when I saw Brynn at the tournament. He said this huge oration that made everyone feel good about themselves. "He isn't as cogent as Masila, but he is at a fair degree. All leaders must be." Then she bit her lip. "But whether they are leading them to something _good_ is another matter."

"So who am I? I gotta admit, I'm none of those things."

"You, Hanso, I believe belong in the third category: The truth-speakers. They are exactly what it says they are: They are completely honest, and they tell the truth in a blatant way. Sometimes it's a truth you might not want to hear, but it's real nevertheless. Of course a leader could earn people's loyalty through rightness and facts, but again, all leaders must tell a _few_ white lies; even if they think it is accurate at that time. Kanrik thought that he'd be able to get the whole Guild prosperous. I'm afraid it wasn't so, and some are a bit bitter about it." She shook her head. "They are also almost completely resistant to persuasion, too. In fact, sometimes they can counteract it, depending how good they are. And no, Hanso, I'm afraid you're not strong enough for that yet," she supplemented. "It was enough to get Kanrik to listen, but he already had faith in you. For someone who just doesn't want to hear it, you'll have a more difficult time."

"Oh," I mumbled. "I guess I have to think about all this."

"You should," she agreed. "Avoid making rash decisions, like….well, you know. As I said, you are a truth-speaker. And," she smiled slightly, "Though she was slightly prone to exaggeration as well, Hannah was, too."

"Thanks, lady," I said as she closed the door.

She nodded. "And Hanso?"

"Yeah?" I said.

She flinched, as if she didn't like what she was going to say. "I have to tell you: If Masila decides to seek shelter here, I will _not _contact the Guild. I _will _help her. As deceitful I think her actions are, she is still my sister; I'm afraid nothing will ever change that."

I got back to the classroom just as they were leaving. My head was still in the clouds, so I only came back to Neopia when Kayley stomped on my foot. "Ow! Hey, what'd you do that for?"

"I found some information," she explained. "And you might not like it." In the cafeteria, she spread out a few folders on the table, and then picked on up. It read 'Sam.'

"Oh, the guy in Harry's gang?" I asked.

"Mmm-hmm," she said. "But there's something you should know about him." She pulled out a family tree paper from his folder, which looked like it was done when he was little. "This was an assignment he had to do when he was about seven; before he was warned not to display too much information." She pointed at a name. "Do you know who Marie Ritch is?"

"Yeah," I answered. _In fact, I just finished visiting her. _

She took a deep breath. "She's his mother."

My jaw dropped. I thought of the younger Kyrii in the picture. "That means-"

"Yes," she told me. "He's related to the Mistress of Double-Cross herself."

**Sorry for not updating- this took sooooo long to write, and again, I had homework in the summer. D: Hopefully I made up for it by, well, the information and stuff. I think that the next one will probably be the same; sorry! **


	26. February at Age 9

The Month of Awakening (February) Age 9

Week1

I decided to send a letter to Hannah. Okay, I know it's a bit stupid. It's going to take months, and due to all her fan-mail and stuff, it's not likely that she's going to read it herself. But from how things are looking here, she's our only shot in beating Masila.

One thing I've noticed so far is that the truth doesn't matter much to people; just what they think is the truth. After Marie told me the 'three categories' of people, I've been on the lookout for them. So far, most of them are followers. It's really weird. I mean, the majority of the thieves want to be important, but they don't have the power. For example, Mortak: He only managed to get the crowd to respond because he fired up their emotions. Basically, he was piggy-backing Masila's ride. I bet she'd love that.

Leaders? Forget about it. The only one I've seen so far is Kanrik, and that was kind of obvious. But I guess something that Marie forgot to mention was that some are stronger than others. Kanrik just appeared…well, weak compared to Masila. She could convince a crowd with just a few words, but he needed a whole speech to get a pickpocket to do something.

There were no truth-speakers besides me. I guess honesty isn't a common quality n a crook.

And now the big question: Sam. Besides whom his family is, Kayley and I know next to nothing about him. He likes little kids, that was for sure; he stood up for me, and Brynn too. We're not sure if he's prejudiced against thieves; he did say all that stuff to Harry, but it was mostly to convince him. "I think we're just going to have to wing it," said Kayley finally. I grinned. "What?"

"I never thought I'd see the day you'd say that," I told her. She punched me on the arm. "Ow! Hey, it's a compliment. You always have a plan."

She shrugged. "I wish I was better at improvising, though."

"So what do we do?" I asked. "I mean, we can't just go up to him and ask to take care of Brynn; that would be suicide!"

She frowned. "You sure? After all, his mother is a thief, so talking to him wouldn't be as dangerous as a regular guard."

I stared at her. "So you're saying we should just walk right up to him and beg to be nice to Brynn? First off, that would be weird. Second, I'm sure that Brynn wouldn't like it at all. Third-"

"I get it," she said irritably. "But how about we talk to him? About the stuff that happened before? You know, him saving you and all that jazz."

I bit my lip. "I don't know…"

"Look, I'm the one who usually says if something won't work," she told me. "The least we can gain is a bit more information on him, right? Unless we check with Marie."

"That isn't an option." I shrugged. "So I guess we'll have to talk to him."

"Good. His patrol is starting right around…." She looked at a clock. "Now!" She grabbed my arm and dragged me to the marketplace. I hate it when she does that. As she did- well, I can't say I didn't feel a prickle of fear. Not because of talking to Sam: because Kayley was telling me to do it. Everything she does lately seems to be dodgy: sneaking into dark places, wandering around in the Thieves' Guild halls, and once there, I thought I heard her talking to somebody I couldn't see. I keep trying to convince myself that it's just Masila's words, but my mind wouldn't believe me. Stupid brain.

The red Kyrii was guarding a shop near the fountain. His eyes darted around, and he always had his hand on his sword. I had a feeling that Harry had something to do with that. I remembered a few months ago, when he was all confident and self-righteous. It made me angry, how just one person could make that all go away- I had realized that the big jerk was a leader, too. But I knew that Sam could beat him, if only he had a reason to.

"Um, Sam?" Kayley said.

He whirled around. Instead of saying hi or whatever, he cried out, "You!" I guess people in the family likes that word. "You're the one who asked Harry to beat up that little girl."

"Oh!" Kayley tried to explain. "We didn't really want to do that, but-"

"Someone forced you?" He spat, moving forward.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, stepping in front of her. "Chill! That was part of something. We didn't mean to get her beat up- in fact, the opposite."

"Who-" He blinked, and then gazed at me tiredly. "Sorry, kid. I've been awake for days; I still feel guilty about the whole thing. And you," he glared at Kayley, "Were mostly the source of my nightmares."

"Don't blame me," she said, backing away. I noticed she was scowling now. "We- or more he- actually wanted to give her a friend, not a beating. They _are _still friends, right?"

He frowned, but then relaxed. "Yeah. You planned that?" We both nodded. "Oh. Well, thanks a bunch- Harry's less inclined to attack two people, and Sophia seems to be always there when Brynn needs her. Still gets pretty lonely though, with that Violet hanging around with us…" He said absent-mindedly. Then he blinked. "Sorry, I'm babbling again, aren't I? I hate sleepless nights."

"We both do," I chimed in. "Listen, about Sophia and Brynn- and about all the kids who Harry beats up- you don't think you could do something about that, could you?"

He sighed. "Sorry, no. Believe me, I tried, but I can't convince him to stop."

Me and Kayley gave each other sideways glances. "We weren't asking you to convince him," she said slowly.

"What, beat him up?" He gaped at us. "No!"

"Not that," I amended. "We meant…you know, sort of defend the ones he picks on. You don't actually have to fight him."

"If I did that, I'll be out of his gang for good." Sam shook his head. "Sorry, but no." He studied us carefully. "Out of interest, why would a couple of thieves care about what happens to guards?"

"Ask him," Kayley muttered.

I shrugged. "Well, one of them is sort of a friend."

"Which one?" He questioned. "You helped both Brynn and Sophia last time- which one were you aiming to assist?"

Before I could answer, Kayley said, "We can't tell you."

He raised his eyebrows. "Why not?"

"Because you might tell Harry," she replied. "Then he'd really beat her up."

"I won't tell," he promised. We looked at him, unconvinced. He sighed. "I won't tell, really. I'm on a need-to-know basis with him."

I pretended to flinch. "Yeah….it's not that we don't believe you, it's just that-"

"We don't believe you," Kayley finished. "And the only way you could change that is if you quit his gang."

He snorted. "Are you nuts? That'd be crazy."

"Why?" I queried.

"Because," he began, and then found he'd fallen in a trap; he had to list all the bad things about Harry. He glowered at us. "Look, you're seeing this all wrong." I don't know if he _meant_ for the persuasion to kick in, and whether he was trying to convince us or himself. But each word that came from his mouth sounded sweet and true. "Harry's a good guy, honestly. His ruthlessness and stuff: well, that actually helps kids learn to fight for their rights. He respects strength, and leaves the good ones well alone. Besides, you have to admit that they do deserve it at times. Last week is a great example, when Sophia and Brynn hit him with this hard-bound book. That was both violent and wrong! You don't actually want to protect that type of people, do you?" Kayley seemed to be in some sort of trance. It was as if the last month of trying to help Brynn never happened. Slowly, she nodded. Sam smiled at us encouragingly.

This was going badly; very, very badly. I couldn't lose my only supporter! If she tells him all she knows…well, there was no chance me and Brynn would be friends after that. I panicked- and my mind began racing for solutions. Then I heard a faint voice in my head. It was fuzzy at first, like a badly tuned radio, but slowly it became clearer. The voice was Marie's. _Sometimes, truth-speakers can counteract persuasion, depending how good they are. _I already got Kanrik to listen, didn't I?

I took a deep breath. "You're wrong."

Sam gawped at me. "What?" He wore an expression of complete disbelief, just like his aunt; as if he couldn't understand that he was being contradicted.

"Harry," I said, "Is nothing but a big old bully. He doesn't 'respect strength.' Basically, you're saying that he picks on kids who can't fight back, not the ones who could teach him a lesson." My voice sounded painfully blunt and dull compared to his. But it was working. Kayley blinked rapidly, shaking her head. "Sophia and Brynn were just trying to protect themselves, not hurt him. They never fought Harry on purpose; they're not violent- I'd call them kind of mild, actually, unless you count the sword arena. They know that punching and kicking isn't the answer- they'll only get injured in return. That's why you aren't doing it, are you?" That was a breakthrough. In that one moment, why he never assisted those helpless kids became clear. "You're scared- not for you, but for them. If you lead them against Harry, they might get wounded or something; and you'll blame yourself." I looked at him straight in the eye. "But you're a leader, Sam. They'll really 'fight for their rights,' if only they know how. They _need_ you."

"I…" He turned pale. Then he shook his head. "You don't know anything. You're- you're lying."

"I'm a truth-speaker," I told him. "I don't lie."

"You're lying," he repeated, gritting his teeth. "I should've never listened to a bunch of kids." He spun around and began walking away.

"I know your mother," I called after him. "And your father." He froze. "And I'm sure they'd be _so _proud to see you acting like this." Out of all the things I told him, I think that was the one that truly hit home.

His face became sad and pained. "Leave my parents out of this," he managed, and then ran away. I remembered another thing that Marie said: _For someone who just doesn't want to hear it, you'll have a more difficult time. _Figures.

Kayley gazed at me an odd way. "What?" I asked.

"What's truth-speaking?" She inquired. For some reason, her voice sounded thicker than usual. "And why didn't you tell me you visited Marie?"

"Um," I stammered, thinking of answer. "Well…I didn't think we'd need it."

"You didn't think we'd needed it," she reiterated. To my relief, she didn't press. Instead she just sighed in frustration and looked at Sam's way. "That went well."

Week 2

"Three weeks and we still don't have a leader," I groaned. "Come on, can't we think of something…or talk to Sam again?"

"No," Kayley replied firmly. "I think you ruined our chance of him with that family comment."

I shrugged. "Big deal. It was the truth."

She rolled her eyes and frowned. "Maybe we simply can't have a leader. I've been looking through the files again, and it seems that no one will be brave enough to stand up to Harry."

"So you're just saying we should just give up?" I cried.

"Not at all," she said. "I'm just saying that without a person who's in charge, we'll probably never be able to stop the girl-"

"Brynn," I corrected.

"We'll never be able to stop Harry bullying her completely," she told me. "I think the next best thing we could do is to get somebody who knows where the guy will be in the day; then at least she could avoid him."

"Who could do that?" I interrogated.

"Who knows where he is?" She thought aloud. "Who's in his gang now, yet was a potential friend of the girl? Who can give her information that others can't?"

I stared at her. "You're talking about Viola…Violet, right?" She nodded curtly. "Come on, that's impossible! She was already mean to Brynn, and-"

"You don't want to because of your own feelings," she stated. "I think you're taking this way too personally. We're supposed to be protecting, not molly-coddling. Sure, there's a chance she might be betrayed again, but that's the same with all friendships, isn't it?"

"Yeah…" I said slowly. Was she hinting about Masila?

"Then it's settled," she said. "We- oh, I mean you- talk to Violet."

"What? Now _that's _mad!" I yelped. "She hates me! She hates thieves in general! Why would she listen…?"

"Do the thing you did with Sam the other day," she advised.

"Tell her the truth?"

"Yes," she said. "Convince or using your truth-speaking power or whatever."

I crossed my arms. "For one thing, it isn't that simple. It isn't some mystical power I can call up at any moment. Last time was just luck. Another, the point of truth-speaking is that you _can't _convince anyone. You just show whatever it is clearly." How in Neopia did I know that? I guess I always did, but never got it out.

"That makes no sense," she told me. "You managed to do it with Sam…"

"Here's the idea," I interrupted. "Say, for example, that a persuasive leader says that this thing is chocolate, when it's actually strawberry. I _could _point out what it really is, though I'm not very good at making people listen yet. And anyway, even if they do, they might like strawberry anyway. Know what I mean?"

"Nope," she answered. "Just that you're probably hungry."

I shrugged. "True."

"Just talk to Violet," she ordered. "It might be worth a shot, right?" Before I could say anything, she yanked on me again and took me to the square. Did I mention I hated it when she does that?

Typically, she disappeared as soon as we got there.

But to my surprise, Violet wasn't at the shoe stall like she usually is. Instead, she was in the cake stand. But at first I didn't even recognize her. She was like a dull, lifeless version of the past her. Her hair, which I remembered her fussing about, was dull and wonky, and her nails were chipped and plain. And that wasn't all- Her former confident self had transformed into somebody who had a pale face and wide, scared eyes, as if she was going to be hit at any second. For some reason, the last part strongly reminded me of someone. I just couldn't put my finger on it.

As I sat stood at her, she noticed me. Her wide eyes narrowed, and she put her hands on her hips. "I know you! You're that…that Ixi guy. Hanso."

"Pleasure to see you again, Viola," I said, mock-bowing.

"It's Violet." She glared at me. "And you're Brynn's friend, not mine. So you better get out of here before-"

I pretended to be shocked. "I'm Brynn's friend? Really? I thought guards couldn't be pals with thieves." I probably would have gone on irritating her, when Kayley stepped out from behind a bush.

Glowering at me, she mouthed, _Annoying her isn't going to help._

"They can't," Violet was saying. "That's what I keep telling her. So you better buzz off-"

"Apparently you're not very buddy-like to her either," I said.

She paled. "What?"

"You stole her plushie, which even for me is a big low," I told her. "You went to Harry-"

"To save myself!" She almost shouted. "I had no choice."

"Sure you did," I said matter-of-factly. "Everybody has a choice. You just didn't make a very good one. And judging by your appearance, you're kind of regretting it." Her eyes flashed.

Too late, Kayley mouthed, _DON'T INSULT HER LOOKS, STUPID!_

I raced away, her hot on my heels. Boy, she could really go fast if she wants to! I kind of gave up hope after the second turn around the marketplace: there was no chance that I was going to escape. I dashed around a corner-

And tripped. I was shocked at first. I never, ever trip; that always proves fatal to thieves. Then I realized that someone had stuck their leg out to make me fall on purpose. I put my head up to see who did it….which turned out to be Brynn. I glared at her. Sweet Fyora, of all the things I did for her- GRRR! I was just about to complain when she gestured for me to duck down. I was still confused and angry, but I did what she said. Violet came her way.

"Have you seen the blue Ixi guy?" She questioned Brynn.

"He just ran past!" She lied. Her fingers were crossed behind her back. "I think he's heading for the fruit stall!" Violet nodded and jogged away.

I jumped out of the shrub. I had loads of tiny scratches, but they didn't hurt that much. Seeing as Brynn was looking guilty though, I said, "You _had_ to pick a thorn bush, didn't you?"

"There wasn't enough time to check the bush!" She complained.

I shrugged and grinned. "Yeah, I guess. Thanks anyway," I added as I walked.

But Kayley's reaction to me escaping was a bit more different. "You should have been able to get away without her help!" She fumed. "What if she wonders why Violet was chasing you?"

"I have a feeling that Viola chases a lot of thieves unnecessarily," I assured her. "Besides, like I said, she hates me. I don't think that Brynn'll ask why me particularly."

She rolled her eyes. "Still…be more discreet next time, alright?"

"Fine, fine," I muttered. "Back to the drawing board. But honestly, Violet looking like that…she looks sort of familiar somehow."

Kayley snorted. "Of course she looks familiar! What, you really don't know?" I shook my head. "I figured it out with the clues you told me. Honestly, you're so idiotic."

"Can't you just tell me?" I pleaded.

"Sometimes," she said, "You have to use your head, and _not _your mouth."

Week 3

Sam's our only hope, that much is clear. There's this guy called Dylan who _might _just have it in him, but he's not strong enough to lead. There's only one thing we've figured out.

"His weakness is little kids," Kayley declared to the hundredth time. "He has a soft spot for people who are younger than him. We have to use that on _something._"

"I get it," I said irritably. "But how are we going to do that? Even when they're little, guards still don't trust thieves. In fact, they hate them even _more. _Brynn barely looked at me when she was seven!"

"Wish it stayed that way," Kayley muttered. I rolled my eyes. "Look, I don't think we have to get them to work _for _us, but I bet most of them have a lot of things to say to Harry anyway."

"But they won't actually say them," I pointed out.

She closed her eyes in frustration. "If only we could find some way to make one more…impulsive."

"Impulsive?" Juliet asked, sliding on the bench.

"Juliet," I said automatically. "We're talking about-"

"Brynn," Julius finished, following her. "We know."

"But you're forgetting that _we're _supposed to help too!" Razor exclaimed as he joining us.

"Oh, joy," Kayley said. "The cavalry's come. Let's sit somewhere else."

I hesitated. "But they might have some good ideas. It would be good to have more people to help, right?"

"Hanso, I doubt that anyone would-" She was interrupted by a chorus of complaints. "Oh, fine, fine. But if we just wasted time that we could have used to help your friend, I'm blaming you."

"Whatever." I quickly explained the situation to them. I didn't really expect anything; I thought maybe they would just slump back and think about it.

Instead, Julius and Juliet instantly said, "We could handle that."

Kayley stared at them. "What?"

"We could make a little kid impulsive," Juliet answered.

"With what?" She snorted. "Candy?"

"Don't insult the candy," Julius scolded. "It can be useful. The Meerca brothers taught us that- they broke into some factory that was selling it, and it turns out that some have magical qualities."

"For example," Juliet continued, "The Loli-zi-pop can speed you up for an amount of time. The Mellow-mint can give you a clear head. And this little sucker here," she held out what looked like a tiny, chocolate ball, "Can make you slightly stronger- and a side-effect is that you tend to act on impulse more."

"Wow." I gaped at it.

"Does that actually work?" Kayley said doubtfully. Juliet smiled, and without warning stuffed one in her mouth. "Ow! What you do that for! That was really annoying! You shouldn't have done that!" She started blasting out words by the second. It was odd, the usually controlled Kayley just slamming it out. "That was mean! I don't like you! I can't believe you did that! I thought you were mature! You even kept my-" Mid-speech, her head dropped on the table. She groaned. "Oh…."

"Yeah, we forgot to mention," Julius said sheepishly. "There's always a price to pay for that, and that means a sugar-meltdown a little later. It won't be anything serious, but whoever takes it might be a bit tired. You should've seen us at the end of the day when we were seven-"

"We were just like walking zombies," Juliet asserted cheerfully. "But now we know how to control it, mostly."

"Um, guys, are you sure you want to feed that thing to a little kid?" Razor spoke up. "I read a bit of info about it with Dr. Kent, and he said that magical stuff and medicines affect children a lot more than older ones. What if the candy works the same way?"

I shrugged. "The worst that can happen in making a little kid impulsive is him saying a few cuss-words; and since he's young, I doubt he'll be punished for it."

"But what if he tries to do something-" Razor began.

"Not likely," Juliet said. "Besides, there's no other solution, is there?"

"Guess not," he mumbled.

"Then it's settled," Julius said. "We give it to a kid. He yells stuff at Harry. Then what happens?"

I frowned. "I don't really know. My guess is that Sam will try and defend him. If not…"

"It's the same risk we took when we did it with your guard friend," Kayley mumbled, still not looking up. "Might as well do it again…oh, my head hurts."

Juliet patted Kayley on the back comfortingly. "Maybe you should take a nap."

"No," she said determinedly, dragging herself upwards. "Let's go now and get this over with." Briefly, I thought about why she was so fixed in seeing everything that happened.

We made our way to the palace, trying to be as stealthy as five thieves can- which isn't very stealthy at all. Luckily, a lot of children were laughing and playing, so it mostly blocked out our noise. While there, I already saw Harry picking on a little red Lupe. Sam was with them, still looking tired and troubled.

"Gimme back my lunchbox!" The poor kid cried.

Harry snorted. "No way! Aw, is poor, precious Luke starting cry?" He asked as he saw the kid's mouth begin to tremble. "Weaklings aren't meant to be in the guard." With that, he threw the bag over the fence- right at us.

The little kid- Luke, I guess- ran to fetch it. I snatched it up, and he stared at me confused. "Um, hi."

"Hi," Luke said in a small voice. "Can I have my lunchbox back?"

"Of course," I told him. "But why don't you have a piece of candy?" I held out the chocolate ball to him.

He eyed it carefully. "Mummy said not to get candy from strangers."

"We're not strangers," Juliet piped up, getting in front of me. I was relieved. I'm not good at the whole diplomat thing, but I knew that Juliet was. "We saw what the big bully did to you over there. It was very mean."

"It was," he agreed.

"So to cheer you up, we're giving you your lunchbox," she took it from me, "And a piece of candy. Okay? It always makes me happy when I have something sweet in my mouth." Then she looked at me and hissed, "Never try to make a deal with a little kid."

"Okay," Luke said obediently, popping one inside. Then he stood rigidly and turned around. Harry was still laughing at his supposed victory. Luke shouted, "Harry!"

He turned around and grinned with malice. "What? Back for more?"

Luke gritted his teeth. I was expecting him to scream at the top of his lungs uncontrollably, but instead his hands shaped into fists. With horror, I realized what he was trying to do. Sweet Fyora, he was going to punch Harry! Okay, I know _I _did that, but the pipsqueak certainly couldn't! This was going wrong.

I made a move to stop him, but Kayley gripped my arm. "We can't help him now. If you go out in the open, you'll ruin any chance of helping your guard friend again." I winced but kept watching.

None of the gang was making any move stop him. They all thought that this was some sort of joke. That is, except Sam. Right at the last minute, he leapt in front of Harry and took the blow for him. We gasped. Luke gazed at his hand, as if he couldn't believe at what he just did. Hurriedly, he raced away.

Harry pretended that nothing had happened, and the rest of the group followed his example. They left the poor guy stranded on the floor, a large bruise forming over his eye. I thought that we were doomed, and that he'll never help us again.

That is, until Sophia and Brynn saved us.

They rushed over to him as soon as the crowd dispersed, and checked him over like concerned mothers. "Are you okay?"

"Some friends they are," Sophia muttered, looking at where they went.

Sam sat up, his hand on his injury. "Why did you help?" There was a hint of disbelief in his voice. "I mean, I'm always with Harry, on his side when he teases and bullies both of you. Why help me?"

They exchanged glances. "Because we think you're a good guy, just trying to make sure you aren't the one he bullies by hanging around with him," Brynn replied finally. It sounded so much better than when I said it. "And the reason that made me do it because it's a personal matter- I think something similar is happening to Violet."

"With Violet it's different," he explained. "She's a pretty girl, and Harry wants to make sure that the prettiest girl is on his side." Brynn shook her head, as if her worst fears were confirmed.

"That's just silly!" Sophia said. Brynn nodded.

"I'm Sam," he introduced himself.

"I'm Brynneth," she said. "Or Brynn if you want."

"And I'm Sophia," she piped up. Then she added, almost sadly, "Are you going back to Harry?"

I guess that was what we all wanted to hear. We leaned in close, all waiting for his reaction. To my shock, he glimpsed- just for one, single second- at our hiding place. He knew we were there. "No," he said firmly, rising. "I'm going to start up a group to work against him, to stop him from doing this. If he just leaves his friends like that, I dread to think what you guys have been through."

"We're with you," Sophia asserted. "Every step of the way; right, Brynn?"

"Yes," she agreed.

"Good." Sam stretched. "Would you ladies excuse me for a moment?" They nodded and walked the other way, already discussing the new group with each other. Sam moved towards us, his arms crossed. We smiled at him sheepishly. "I'm guessing you didn't mean for this to happen," he said, pointing at his bruise.

"No!" I ejaculated. "Honest, we didn't-"

"It's alright," he sighed. "It seems that I needed a punch in my face to knock me to my senses. He really is a jerk."

We nodded. Razor rummaged through his medical bag (which he's taken to carrying everywhere) and took out some ointment. "Rub that on your eye for a bit," he instructed. I've never seen him so sure about something before. "The bruise will be gone in a few hours."

Sam raised his eyebrows, but took it. "Thanks, kid. And you," he turned to me.

"Yeah?"

"Keep speaking the truth," he told me. "And don't listen to anyone who tells you not to." I nodded. "One day, you're going to be good," he said. He gave me a small smile. "Who knows, maybe you'll beat my aunt herself. I sure hope so." Then he walked away, leaving the rest of my class confused.

Week 4

We had one of the weirdest field trips ever- and not in a good way. We stood in our meeting place, like we always did. The Kyrii Master was giving us instructions, when a familiar voice said, "Hello." Masila stepped out of the shadows, looking as radiant and evil as ever. I scowled. "Oh, don't be like that. I was just here to give you a small greeting."

"As if," Kayley spat, clutching her dagger. "I know you."

Masila's eyes narrowed as she stared at Kayley, and she gave her a threatening smile. "And I know _you_." Kayley stiffened. "Of course I do, dear. Kanrik's too busy to notice individual and unimportant members' needs. But I do. And in my guild, I promise that-"

"I'm not listening," she said, covering her ears. "You've made empty promises before."

Masila shook her head, her dark curls sweeping inside the hood. "It was Kanrik's fault, sweetheart. You know that. And you know that I can keep much better control." Kayley still wouldn't listen, but she paled a lot.

"Leave her alone," the Kyrii managed.

Masila swept her scornful gaze over to him. To everyone's surprise, she laughed. "_You_? _A teacher_?" She could barely catch her breath. "What are you going to do, if I touch one of them? Hm?" She ruffled Razor's hair, but he backed away quickly. "Nothing."

"What do you think you're doing?" He snarled.

"And look at your precious students," she continued, as if she hadn't heard him. She turned to Kayley. "An Acara with a deep, dark secret. Doesn't that sound like to somebody we know?"

Kayley glared at her. "Never, ever compare me to you."

Masila faced the twins. "A pair of sugar-crazed siblings who don't do a single thing you say." Simultaneously, they brought out their daggers, but they still appeared shaken.

That's when I found my voice. "They are not. They can use-"

"They can use candy to help them?" She giggled. "Do you know what that sounds like? Stimulants. Exemptions- because they know that some can't go on without them."

I tried to say something, but words wouldn't come out. I hated, hated, hated her.

"This one can't even steal," she chuckled, prodding Razor. He stared at his toes. Again, I wanted to say something, but her stupid voice made me freeze. Then she grinned and went to me. "And don't even get me started on this one. Look at him, will you? He isn't fit to be called a crook at all. Deep down, he isn't criminal. He's a _hero._" She spat the word out, like it was disgusting. "The ones that _sacrifice. _And you know there's a no-giving-things away policy in your Guild. But then," she smiled, "weren't you a hero once too, once upon a time? Now, look what happened."

The Kyrii frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you do," she said. "You're pathetic." She sounded each syllable out. Each one made the Kyrii cringe. "Your own best friend- and the ones you considered your family- abandoned you. Just like that." She snapped her fingers. "They never came back. The city you saved…as if they care now what happened to you. Even the girl you loved sent you here-"

That stung. The Kyrii's face turned into a mixture of distress and fury. But instead of shrinking back, he grabbed a sword from his belt and moved forward. Masila's eyes widened and she pulled her dagger out just in time. We all watched, amazed. This was the best sword fight we've ever seen- I even had to admit, better than the tournament when I saw Brynn. The Mistress of Double-Cross hadn't been lying when she said that she was good; but the Kyrii Master matched her skill. He slashed and dodged like a maniac. Still, they couldn't get through to one another. None of us could move forward to help, because we might harm the teacher.

"You insolent fool!" She gasped out, ducking. "What do you think you are doing? What are you even fighting for? You have a useless, pitiful existence!"

For a second, he faltered. But then he focused again, and jabbed at her. "I chose it," he said firmly. "I chose my life- no one told me, or ever will tell me what to do. Including you!" He lunged.

Masila recoiled, skirting behind a tree. "I will be back!" She seethed, and disappeared with a wave of her cloak. Very evil-villain like. Typical.

"Wow," I breathed. I was surprised to see Kayley looking at me angrily. "What?"

"You didn't even try," she said, putting her hands on her hips.

I blinked at her. "Try what?"

"You didn't try truth-speaking until she got to the twins." She glowered at me.

"Oh," I said, rapidly thinking for an excuse. "I, um, thought you could handle yourself-"

"Don't lie to me again," she shouted. The whole class gawped, as if they couldn't believe we were arguing after what just happened. I couldn't, either. "You thought I was a spy. You don't trust me anymore."

There was silence. I knew I couldn't lie, so I didn't bother. She took in a sharp intake of breath. "_Why_?" The anger, I expected, of course. But the hurt that flickered on her face just for a moment was totally surprising. That's when I absolutely knew that Kayley was never working with Masila.

"Well…I saw you doing stuff. Like sneaking, wandering around…I think once even talking to yourself." Kayely flinched at that.

For some reason, Juliet did too. "Um, she wasn't talking to herself," she spoke up.

I looked at her like she was crazy. "What?"

"I thought she needed a friend or something," she said, not looking at anyone in the eye. "So I bought her a petpet. I always said it's nice to have someone listen to your problems, even if they don't understand you." Julius cast her an odd look, but he didn't say anything.

"Oh," I mumbled. "Oops."

"Oops is right," Kayley said. "But that's not all, is it?"

"Well, you've been acting really differently, you know. _Really _differently." I gave her a sheepish smile.

She shook her head in disbelief. "I was assisting you!" She exploded. "That was my resolution for this year, wasn't it? To be nicer." She gritted her teeth. "But that didn't help at all, did it? I was better off just looking after myself. I guess I'll just stick with that."

"No, Kayley, wait!" I pleaded, but she glared at me one final time and stalked of by herself.

"Ugh," the Kyrii groaned. It was the first time he'd spoken after the battle. We turned to him. "I'm a horrible teacher, aren't I?"

"No you're not!" Juliet said. Julius nodded in agreement.

"She's always lying," I told him. "Don't listen to anything she says."

He smiled at me in amusement. "That's what I should be telling you."

"What was she talking about?" Razor questioned. "Masila, I mean. She said something about your best friend, a city, a girl-"

"Oh, that," the Kyrii Master said loudly. "That was nothing."

"It's not nothing!" I protested. "She used it to control you, and I couldn't do anything about it. If I knew the truth-"

"You'll be able to do the opposite," he said sarcastically. "But fine. I know that if you want something, nothing will stand in the way of you getting it. Firstly, though…do you know what I'm called?" We gaped at him. He chuckled. "I've been teaching you for about two or three years, and you don't know my name?"

"You never told us," Razor asserted.

"I'll tell you now," said the Kyrii, standing up. "It's Jacques."

**Loooooong chapter! It took me **_**ages. **_**Hopefully it was worth it. ****And again, it probably goes the same for the next one.**


	27. March at Age 9

The Month of Running (March) Age 9

Week 1

Weird how a person you thought you knew could end up being so different. The Kyrii Master- er, Jacques- well, he's always been a little different than most adults I know. He's a bit less responsible, but he could mostly control us. He gives us loads of independent study. He made us learn by ourselves, while at the same time teaching us. Does that make sense?

Anyway, now he's a pirate. He always was. I feel a bit stupid, not figuring it out before. Kayley already had. When we told her the next time she came to class, she rolled her eyes and muttered, "I do use my brain, you know." Then she glared at the same spot for the rest of the lesson. Instead of annoying me, it made me feel really guilty. I know that it's her choice for acting that way, but I should have trusted her more. She's a good ally, and yeah, an okay friend too now that I think about it.

But there's a spy, I'm sure of it. Those words weren't just used to rattle me up; they were true, and somehow I was going to get to the bottom of it. Without Kayley's help, I thought regretfully.

Well, Jacques told as a story as strange as the one Kanrik told us about the Ice Caves. When he was little, he was a rule-breaker (of course, all thieves are). His partner in crime was this guy called Garin. They were best friends, and in time they joined the Thieves' Guild. But they wanted adventure, too. So instead of becoming regular crooks, they opted being pirates. They had loads of great times, robbing trader ships, stealing treasures, and pillaging villages. The biggest adventure they had, though, was when they discovered Maraqua.

At that point, they had been pretty famous. Another spoil-sport pirate, Scarblade or something, didn't like it, and wanted the seas to himself. So he attacked them, which is pretty idiotic if you think about it. Following a huge battle for the Black Pawkeet, their ship, he, Garin and the crew got separated. As he tried to rescue his best friend, the Drenched (three evil water faeries), kidnapped him. "Worst experience of my life," he murmured. "The things they did to me…the images they put in my head…torture, starvation…" He shuddered. "Nothing could've been worse, even Masila's voice." That made me wonder...does having the worst possible thing happen to you make you immune to pursuasion?

After a few days, Garin came back to rescue him (though it didn't go as he expected- it included sea monsters). Turns out that he got saved from drowning by a sea Aisha called Isca. Then they got kidnapped. Typical. Garin, though, had a maracite sword, and managed to swipe his way out (I wish that was still possible- once the people above ground heard about it, they started making extra-strong bars). They managed to retrieve the ship, which was on the surface filled with garbage-

"So they were using it as a rubbish dump?" Juliet asked.

"No!" Jacques said indignantly. "It was really disguised."

Julius frowned. "Why would anyone want to disguise a rubbish dump?"

"It was disguised _as _a rubbish dump," he explained. "It was really an armory."

"Why would an armory have garbage on it?" Juliet questioned. "It sounds like a rubbish dump to me."

"It's not a rubbish dump!"

"Hey, Juliet," said Julius, "I read that pirates are really touchy about their ships. He probably doesn't want to admit that it was a rubbish dump, so let's cut him some slack."

"It was not a rubbish dump!" Jacques exploded.

Juliet looked at the Kyrii Master pityingly. "Of course it wasn't."

Anyway, it did have weapons on it. Garin swam to Maraqua to warn King Kelpbeard and told Jacques to guard the ship. He soon saw, however, that it wasn't possible; Scarblade's crew was already attacking. Since Garin took so long, he guessed that a certain fat royal didn't listen and maybe captured him. Using the potion he stole earlier, he took a portion of his crew underwater to help.

"Without permission?" I asked in disbelief. "You rescued your leader with a group of people without permission?"

"Yes," he said wryly. "Sounds familiar, doesn't it?"

They arrived just in time to fend Scarblade's crew off- good thing too, 'cause Garin and Isca were in hot water at that point. That's where he met this other girl, **Amethyst (Typo!) **Caylis. They developed a plan to attack the pirates at both sides. Isca asked her sister to go to the city and tell him, at which she refused. Jacques, though he had absolutely no idea where to go, volunteered. I guess he really_ is_ my teacher. As expected, he got lost. Caylis, though, had a change of heart, and led him to the city. For some reason, he stuttered over that part really quickly, just like Kanrik did when he was talking about Masila or Hannah. I was beginning to have an inkling on who the girl that Masila was talking about was.

So he got a free maracite sword (lucky!) from the armory guy when he told him about the plan. Together, he and Caylis fought alongside while the King defeated Scarblade. He became a…a hero, I guess you might say. Though offered otherwise, he chose the life of a pirate over luxury, not willing to leave his life of adventure. I thought that it was cool. If a ruler asked me what I wanted for a reward, I wouldn't waste it on staying being lazy for the rest of my existance (though it does sound tempting).

"Then?" Julius prompted.

He frowned. "Then what? That's the end of the story."

"No it isn't," Julius said. "You wanted to continue piracy and all that stuff. So how'd you end up _here_?" He gestured around the classroom. "Why'd you leave your friends?"

"Oh….that's another tale for another day." He coughed, not wanting to say more. "So, enough about that, how about the lesson-"

"Is it true that you once invaded a tiny town off the coast?" Razor asked.

Jacques looked taken aback. "Yes. Now-"

"Is it true that you crashed a wedding with Hannah and Kanrik look-alikes?" Juliet said eagerly.

"Now that was a strange party," he remarked. "Me and Garin thought we were dead meat, breaking into our guild leader's wedding. Turns out that they were obsessed Neopians who took surgery to look alike their favorite people. Of course 'Kanrik' wasn't exactly right, since nobody outside the guild except Hannah ever saw him unmasked…" Then he realized he was being diverted. He glared at us. "I'm supposed to be teaching you, not telling you stories."

"Isn't it the same thing?" Juliet asked. "We're learning a lot. Like how pirates are touchy about their ships being called rubbish dumps."

He groaned. "I give up. You can have some free time- this Masila business is killing me." He stared at a huge pile of paperwork on the desk and began it.

If he gave me free time last week, before Kayley became mean again, we would have probably spent the period planning on the next problem. Brynn was alright now, that was plain to see. A few overheard conversations told me that Harry doesn't dare approach with Sam around, though there were a few skirmishes at the beginning. But Hazel was still in trouble, with that spoiled brat of a brother and her nanny. Still, I couldn't help thinking about the guards for a bit.

For some reason, I thought the answer was there. Maybe it was because I heard a few people saying that Brynn missed Viola; that's why I couldn't concentrate. Though I knew I had to assist Hazel, I had a nagging feeling that Violet needed my help, too. But she'll never take it. I mean, I'm a thief- and she made it clear that she hates them. And unlike Brynn, I didn't really see an indirect way to help. She had none of Brynn's courage or loyalty, and definitely not a good leader like Sam. I either had to talk to her, or give up.

I wished Kayley was still with me on this. She was a pain in the neck, but she had good ideas. I turned to her there and gave her a smile. "Would saying sorry again make you forgive me?"

"Nope," she said, for the hundredth time.

"Aw, come on! It was a slip," I insisted.

"You only want me to help with your friends," she muttered darkly. "That's the only reason why you're apologizing, is it?"

"No it's not!" I said. "You don't have to help me with the plans anymore. Just _please_ forgive me?"

She blinked, but shook her head. I moaned and gazed at my desk. Finally, she said, "I'm still not going to forgive you. But I might as well help a little bit." I looked up to her hopefully. "You're solving Hazel's problem, right?"

"Yeah," I answered.

"I'm giving you one clue, and one clue only," she said, her face stern. "Blood is thicker than water."

"Huh?" I said, confused. "What's-" She held up her hand, signaling that it was all she was going to say to me. I sat on my desk and mulled the phrase over.

"It's a metaphor," Razor piped up, sitting beside me. "They use a lot of metaphors in poetry, and I can recognize one when I see one."

"Oh, hey," I greeted him. "But what does it mean?"

"Something to do with family," he replied. "Like, a person would do more for a relative than he would for a friend."

"That makes sense, sort of. But how does that help?"

"Beats me," he said. From the other side of the room, I saw Kayley rolled her eyes. She knows something. Somehow, my problem can be solved by family. "Maybe you should visit again. That might help."

"Yeah," I murmured, still thinking about it. I asked permission to leave, which Jacques accepted. The twins shouted to have a bon voyage, at which the teacher shook his head, saying something like real pirates aren't like that and if they don't be quiet he'll have them walk the plank.

Charlie was on the park, as usual, though this time he had his face buried in a book. "Oh, hullo," he said when saw me. He smiled. "I was beginning to think that you forgot about Hazel and me."

"I wouldn't do that," I said.

"I know," he replied cheerfully. Then he saddened as he looked at Hazel's house. "But I do hope we can save her soon."

"We will," I promised. "It's just…um, hard."

He nodded, a bit disappointed. "I've been thinking about how to help her for three years. Perhaps it was wrong of me to assume you could do it in a shorter amount of time. But you do seem awfully skillful, so…"

"I'm thinking of a plan," I told him. "Well, sort of. But I need to talk to her."

He brightened. "Let's go, then! I haven't seen Brownie in months." He briskly walked to the mansion, and I tried to keep up with him. He's fast for a rich kid, and I guess he really wanted to see Hazel.

We were lucky: she was outside again. Thankfully there was no more snow, so instead she pruned the bushes into delicately shaped patterns. Even better, her tyrant au pair was nowhere in sight. "Hey, Hazel."

She gazed up and saw me. She smiled sweetly. "Hi, Hanso." Then she spotted Charlie. "Charlie!" She squealed, running to hug him. He grinned. "What are you doing here? You can't stay for long, you know. Sasha's gonna come back any minute."

"We're, erm, making plans to rescue you," he said.

Her brow furrowed. "I don't need to be rescued." Charlie snorted. "Really!"

"Oh, very well. Of course you don't. All we need is to shoo your brother and nanny away, then," he said.

"We can't."

"We can."

"We can't."

"We can."

"We can't!"

"We can!"

"WE CAN'T!"

"WE CAN!"

It wasn't a real fight. They were really having fun, maybe because Hazel never spoke up to anyone else. But I seriously didn't have time for this. "Guys!" They turned to look at me. "I have to ask a few questions."

"Hanso, you don't need to save me," Hazel said. Charlie frowned. "Well, it would be nice to get a bit more freedom. But I'm okay, really."

"Yeah, yeah," I said dismissively. She pouted slightly when she realized we didn't believe her. "We just want to help a little bit."

"But-"

"Just get on with it, Brownie," Charlie said. "Then maybe you could come over, or we could lark around town again."

She smiled. "Okay…."

"Is there anyone from your family who could help you with…well, Sasha and Ebony?" I questioned.

"Not really," she said. Darn.

"Are you sure?" I persisted. "Absolutely certain?" She nodded.

"Well," said Charlie thoughtfully. "There _is _Miss Firecracker."

"Don't call her that!" Hazel scolded.

"Miss Firecracker?" I asked.

"She's all pish posh and fanciness, but she cares about Hazel," Charlie informed me. "I don't think she could actually help, though. She has problems with standing up for the _right _things to the _right _people." He scowled as he said this. "Plus, she's a mean old bat."

"Charlie!" Hazel said, shocked. "Don't talk about her like that!"

"Sorry," he said.

"So where can I find…um, Miss Firecracker?" I asked.

He laughed. "That isn't her real name. She just explodes like a firecracker, is all. She hates that nickname. She has a color one, just like the rest of Hazel's family."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Violet," he said matter-of-factly.

I started spluttering. "Violet? As in, V-I-O-L-E-T?"

"Yes," he said. "She's Hazel's sister."

"Her _sister_?" I cried. But I saw it now. I never would have guessed it, with the personality and stuff, but I knew that you could have completely different ones than relatives. Hazel already contrasted to her brother, so I guess the same could happen with her sister. And they really did look like each other, if Violet didn't fuss so much about her appearance. "I know her."

"You do?" Hazel jumped excitedly. "How is she? Is she having fun? Does she have loads of friends?"

"Um…" I didn't know how to break the news that her sister was an evil betrayer, especially not with her staring at me eagerly like that. It was clear that she looked up to her sister. "You might not like what I have to say."

She frowned. "Why not?"

"She…well….she's…."

"She's…." Charlie and Hazel pressed.

"She's a coward," I blurted out. "There's the bully that walks all over her, she hardly ever cares about how she looks now, and-"

I was interrupted by a loud sound. Both Hazel and Charlie were doubled-up: with laughter! I gaped at them. Charlie wiped tears off his eyes. "Good one, Hanso! Miss Firecracker not caring about her appearance?"

"And Violet a coward?" Hazel giggled. "You're funny sometimes. Nobody could walk over her, not really. She always has a bit of rebellion inside." There was no doubt in her voice.

It dawned to me that maybe Violet never let her sister see how weak she was at times. I guess I get that; I'd hate for Timmy to see me all scared. Maybe…maybe she'd hate it so much she'd snap out of it. Worth a shot, right? Maybe Hazel could succeed in getting her out of the reverie. Like Kayley said, blood is thicker than water.

"Um, Hazel, if you're sure about that, could you maybe visit her and see?"

"Huh?" She looked at me, confused.

"It's a win-win," I explained. "If there's nothing going on, then you'll get to say hi to her. If there is, then maybe you could make her come to her senses. I'll take you next week. Deal?"

"Well…" She seemed frightened on having to make a choice. She stared at her toes. "I don't know. Sasha could be there next week, and-"

"Bother Sasha!" Charlie asserted. "I'll take care of her, and Ebony too if you like."

My jaw dropped. "You could do that?"

He shrugged. "I think I could, but it's a full-time job. If I did it, I'd have to keep an eye out for them and wouldn't be able to spend time with Hazel- that's why I never did it before. But I think I might be able to distract them for a bit, though that does count me out of your little party." He shrugged. "Perhaps it's better this way. Me and Miss Firecracker hate each other, and I'd probably just be a nuisance."

"Violet doesn't hate you!" Hazel said.

"Sure she doesn't." His tone was skeptical- it reminded me of how Juliet spoke to Jacques. I had a feeling that this had a story too, but I think it could wait. "I will need a few people to help me, though. Do you think your thief friends could help?"

"Count them in," I said with a grin. "So, do you want to pay your sister a visit?"

Hazel twisted her hands, still uncertain. That is, until the gate opened and Sasha barged in. "Where's the little Mortog?" She screeched. "How useless can she be? She's not even finished with the front yard!"

That seemed to steel her. "I'd love to," she told me, before dashing off.

"You know, sometimes I think that Hazel has it worse than us thieves," I commented.

Charlie shook his head. "You have no idea."

Week 2

We were in luck: we had the little kids this week, so it was a piece of cake to get to the rich apartments. Razor promised that he could look after both Timmy and Brandon when I left with Hazel. She was standing by her porch looking worried, but her face relaxed into a relieved smile when she saw us. "I thought you forgot about me," she said in her sweet little voice.

"'Course not," I said, ruffling her hair. She smiled. "No one could do that."

She turned to Charlie and the thieves. "What exactly are you going to do?"

He grinned. "Nothing to worry about that, Brownie. Let's just say that when a negative meets a negative, it becomes a positive: at least for awhile."

"Could we just watch to see what they're doing?" She inquired to me.

"Um, sure, but we'll have to hurry up," I told her. She nodded.

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Honestly, you could go on. But if you insist…" He gestured to Juliet. He showed them a few signals, but only they knew what it meant. The Wocky twin smiled and ran out to the road- right in front of Ebony.

"Hey, you're one of those twins. What are you doing here again?" He sneered. All Juliet did was shrug and dart away. Ebony and his gang tried to catch her. She lured him into the garden, and then snapped the back gate shut so that his gang couldn't follow. Then she climbed out using the wall. She gave Charlie a thumbs-up sign.

Quickly, he gestured to Julius. At plain view of Sasha, he began picking her most prized flowers. "HEY!" She snarled. "Cut it out!"

"Okay," he said, cutting out another flower. She chased after him until she was also inside the garden, locked the front gate, and then he climbed out himself. He grinned at me. "The house doors are locked too, so there's no way they could escape. They'll drive each other nuts!"

"Maybe not," Hazel asserted. "Ebony really likes Sasha."

"At least they'll never suspect it was you," Juliet reassured her. The little girl nodded and clutched my arm, indicating she was ready to go.

She wasn't as bad as last time. She kept her face set and her eyes straight forward, but she still hung on to my hand nervously. Maybe she had a reason to. When we visited Brynn's house, we went to a part of a neighborhood that wasn't really used that much. Now the streets were teeming with people, and some threw us suspicious looks; they were probably thinking how odd it is for a guy in shabby clothes escorting what seemed to be a well-brought-up little girl.

Then Hazel froze. She stared at another Usul by the fruit stall- everything about her was pale and limping, even her clothes. Her eyes looked too huge to be on her thin face, and she had a terrified expression on. Violet.

It didn't take long for her to spot her sister, either. Her big eyes widened even more. Brynn, though, wasn't paying much attention to anyone. She was keeping a lookout on possible crooks; I guess she didn't see me yet. I hid behind a stall, and watched as Violet said something to her- probably that she saw something, and she just wanted to check it out. Brynn nodded, her expression turning bored. Violet grabbed Hazel's hand- apparently she didn't notice me either- and raced her around the corner.

She gave her a tight hug, which Hazel returned enthusiastically. "What are you doing here?" She asked, inspecting her thoroughly. "Did something happen to Mum or you?"

"No," Hazel mumbled, staring at her toes. "I just wanted to come and say hi."

Violet beamed. "That's nice, but you know I'm kind of busy…" She looked down and noticed how she appeared. She winced. "Yes, I'm very busy. So if you can just get whoever got you here to…"

"That would be me," I said, stepping out the shadows.

Her face darkened. "Hazel! I told you not to talk to…to criminals."

"He promised he wouldn't rob me," she said.

"He could be lying!"

Hazel looked at me apologetically, and said, "I guess that could be true." Violet nodded at me with triumph. "But…"

Violet frowned. "But what?"

"Well, he…um, he's been standing up to Ebony and Sasha for me…and, er….he's…he rescued Charlie from that fire a few months ago…."

"_Charlie_?" Violet was outraged. "You're _still _hanging out with him?"

"But he never did anything," she said defensively. This was turning out to be a very weird conversation. It was interesting too, but again, not why I came here. I coughed, reminding Hazel about what she was supposed to ask. She was nervous, but she did say softly, "Violet, you didn't really betray a friend to a bully, did you? You wouldn't do that."

Violet gaped at her, her face a mixture of embarrassment, indignation, and…and maybe even fear. She glanced away, avoiding Hazel's eyes. "I needed to save my own neck, Hazel."

She gasped in horror. "Oh Violet, you didn't!"

"You don't know what I would and wouldn't do," Violet replied roughly.

"But that's…that's mean," Hazel asserted weakly.

"It was in self-defense. I don't want to be bullied or controlled again. I can't do that by letting them pick on me so I _had _to join. I had to." Violet seemed to be trying to convince herself as well as us.

"It's still wrong," Hazel said. It was clear that she was scared of speaking like this, but it didn't look like she could stop herself. "It's bad and mean and cowardly. It's something that Ebony would do. You don't just abandon your friends!"

Violet's eyes narrowed and her face turned scary angry, and her cheeks became a dark shade of red to boot. I guess I know why Charlie called her a firecracker. She raised her hand as if to slap Hazel. The little girl didn't do anything to protect herself; just cringed and prepared for the strike.

It never came. Violet sighed exasperatedly, but lowered her hand. I think I know why. It'd be impossible for her to hit Hazel, just like it'd be impossible for me to hit Timmy. We've spent so long shielding and taking care of them, it would be completely against nature to do the opposite.

"I'm not the only one who abandons people," she said quietly to Hazel.

I had no idea what that meant, but Hazel's eyes filled with tears. They began to flow freely down her cheeks. But her face turned determined. "I looked up to you," Hazel told her with absolute certainty. "You never let anybody boss you around; not Daddy, not Ebony, no one." She clutched Violet's arm. "That's the best thing about you. You can't let that guy take it away!"

Violet shook her off, but it was clear that those words held a lot of weight. "Go back home, Hazel." It was an order.

"But you'll stand up to him, right?"

Violet's face turned angry again. "Go. Back. Home." With that, she stomped off back to the fruit stall, with just enough time to say to me, "Stay away from her!"

Brynn was confused when she saw her all angry. "What's wrong?"

"Stupid patrol," Violet muttered darkly.

That satisfied her. "Yeah, they do get to be pretty boring," she commented. "Should we go soon?"

I stopped watching and turned to Hazel. She was sitting on the sidewalk, hugging her knees and sobbing her little heart out. I kneeled down next to her. "You did much better than me, you know." That was the best thing I could say to her.

"Violet's mad at me." Her face crumpled. "There were only two times ever that Violet was mad at me."

"What's the other one?" I asked, curious. She kept on weeping as an answer. Then a thought struck me. "Did it have something to do with Charlie?"

"Yes," she murmured. "But I'd rather not talk about it. Is that okay?"

"Of course, kid," I said. "I think we should go check on Violet, though. I think what you said might affect on what she'll do."

"You think so?" I nodded. Hazel stood up. "Okay. They're going to the castle now, right?" I took her hand again, but this time I was practically carrying her. It was as if she lost all of her self-will, and she was just wandering in a trance.

We reached the castle gate. They were about to walk in when that idiot Harry sprang up on them. It was an ambush! Hazel gasped. "Is that…"

"Yeah," I said. "The stuff that's made of nightmares."

She gritted her teeth. "I want to go help."

"We can't do anything," I said miserably. "I'd like to go and help too."

He grabbed Violet's arm and pulled her behind him. Instead of being compliant, though, I saw that angry expression still on her face. She struggled fiercely, trying to wallop him. I gawped. That was a _big _improvement. Hazel watched on hopefully.

"A little feisty today, are we?" Harry sneered. "Won't be for long, will we? Or else I'll have to knock some sense into you?" He clenched his fist and lifted it. Her eyes widened, and she stopped punching. Hazel drew in a sharp breath.

"Let her go," Brynn said courageously. You really have to admire her in those situations.

"What are you going to do?" Harry said, smirking. "You've just got a blunt sword."

"So have you," she shot back.

"Not with me," he countered. "But a blunt sword won't do much good."

"Use it as a club!" Violet suggested slyly. Both me and Hazel smiled, and Brynn burst out laughing despite the deadly situation.

Harry turned red, probably not liking being an object of ridicule. "Enough of the attitude," he hissed ferociously. Violet shrank back again, this time looking like she'd stay that way. Hazel wore a troubled frown.

But that was nothing compared to me. From the way his eyes glinted, I had a feeling that he was going to do something horrible to Brynn; and I couldn't do anything to stop it. Was all those plans about giving Brynn allies wasted? Just when she really needs them, they're not there. Of course I guess that was a bit unfair to think, but I was getting frantic. I was trained to act on impulse…if it gets to rough, I'd probably go and help anyway, now matter how stupid it would be.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in the hallway right in front of Brynn. He raised his eyebrows when he saw what was happening. "All this talk of blunt swords," he said loudly, "Reminds me that I've got a proper won!" He leapt between Brynn and Harry, a silver sword in his hands. Brynn was gazing at it dreamily. I was freaked out. I promised myself that I'd never meet Sam on one of his patrols- that thing could be used against me!

"Fear not, fair maiden," he said to Violet. "I shall save thou from this beast." Hazel giggled, but she still watched with her fingers crossed. Sam swung his sword to point to Harry. Really, it was going to be scary once Brynn gets her own.

Harry glared at him. "You're not making her join your stupid group of dumb outcasts and freaks," he said, keeping a firm grip on her.

"You mean the Rebellion!" Sam exclaimed, flashing a cheeky smile at Brynn. "See, I've got a cool name for us too now!" She grinned.

Harry looked like he wanted to sock Sam, but even he knew better than to jump a guy with a pointy object (unfortunately). He left, yanking Violet along with him. Hazel beheld the sight with dismay. "I thought she'd say something," she whispered.

"Sophia's in your dorm," I heard Sam tell Brynn. I couldn't help but be a bit happy- so the ally thing was working after all.

"But what about Violet?" Brynn asked, a little sadly.

Just for one moment, Sam glimpsed at us. He knew we were there! Wow, that guy was _good. _"We'll save her one day," he said clearly, as if making sure we were listening. His smile said that he knew who we were trying to help now. "Alright?"

"Alright," Brynn replied, walking inside.

"Hanso?" Hazel murmured. "Could you please take me home now?" I nodded, and we started on the way. I noticed that she looked absolutely crestfallen. She stared at the road, her face pale. "I thought I could depend on her."

"You still can," I said. "Didn't you hear the guy? He'll rescue her. And if I have anything to say about it, I will, too."

"That person," she said, "He's not as bad as Ebony. But I think I know what's scaring her."

"What?" I questioned.

"I think she's afraid that _her _friends would abandon her," she told me. "The same thing happened here, a long time ago." She shook her head. "So before they got a chance, she abandoned them. I think she's regretting it, but she doesn't have the- the guts to stand up to him. Do you think that it's because of…" Her voice trailed off.

"Of what?" I queried.

"Of me!" She burst out, tears flowing again. "Because I'm always so fearful and sad, she does the same."

"No!" I said firmly. "It has nothing to do with you. Really."

She wiped the salty drops of her eyes away with a little handkerchief. "Okay," she said, but I knew she didn't believe me. We kept on going until we saw her house. Charlie was standing at the front gate, grinning from ear to ear.

He ran to us excitedly. "You should've seen that-" His face changed when he saw Hazel. "Brownie? What's wrong?" Hazel shook his head and ran past him, back to her house. She slammed the door behind her. "Oh dear," he murmured. "That didn't go well at all, did it?" He frowned at me. "Is it true? Miss Firecracker has lost her sparks?" I nodded. "Oh dear."

"Hazel didn't take it too well," I said.

He sighed. "I can see that. Oh, Timmy's over there. Your friends had to go back to headquarters, and you can't go back inside without him." The little Wocky was playing in the garden.

He ran to us when he saw me. "Hanswo!"

"Hey, kiddo," I said, ruffling his hair. He quickly fixed it up.

"Well, I can see that it was a waste of time," Charlie said mournfully. "I guess we'll just have to think of something else." He turned back.

"Hey, wait!" I called. He paused. "I need to know something." He looked at me questioningly. "When me and Hazel were there, Violet accused her of abandoning her-"

"She what?" He spluttered, outraged. "She did nothing of a sort! That spoiled brat, she knew that Hazel didn't mean it that way, and if there's anyone to blame it was me…"

"What?" I queried.

He stopped rambling. "It's nothing Hanso. Just a bit of history between me and Miss Firecracker."

"It sure doesn't seem like nothing to Hazel," I told him. "And this information could help, you know."

He seemed like he was about to argue, but he closed his eyes, defeated. "Alright, I'll tell you. It's pretty sad, actually, but I'd do anything to help Hazel."

"Stowy!" Timmy yelped excitedly, plopping down on the sidewalk.

Charlie chuckled. "Yes, I suppose you could call it that." He took a deep breath. "I was always odd, you know. I knew that from the very beginning, and I see nothing wrong with it," he added when he saw I was about to protest. "Though my parents tried to spoil me, I never wanted those gifts- in that way, I didn't really fit in with other rich kids. I actually liked it a lot this way. But it made it awfully hard to make friends."

"We're your friends," I piped up. Timmy nodded.

He smiled. "Yes, well, among the rich kids it was hard. I did get teased quite a lot, and so my parents moved from place to place to place. Each time they said they wanted a new start, but I know it was just so they wouldn't be embarrassed of me. Finally, we landed here in Brightvale, intending to stay." He paused. "They told me to run along and make new friends. I didn't want to, but I went to the park to satisfy them. That's where I met Hazel."

"Let me guess," I said. "She was on the swing?"

"It's her favorite place," he informed me. "Mine too, and unfortunately her brother's. I think you can guess that she literally ran up a tree. I asked her 'What are you doing up there, silly?'

She whispers 'Usuls are prone to trees when they don't want to be seen.' I guess she doesn't want to be seen an awful lot- she appeared to have learned the passage by heart.

I say, 'Why don't you want to be seen?'

'Because my hair's all messed up,' she answers uncertainly.

'Why would I care a fig about your hair?' I inquire.

'My sister says hair is the most important thing in Neopia,' says she. I burst out laughing. It was so ridiculous! She can't help but smile as well, and eventually I manage to coax her out of the tree. We spent an afternoon playing tag. I was really glad, you know. I managed to find somebody I could get along with in this world of fancy folk. She was happy too, but I didn't know why until later. That was when Ebony came.

He asks what gang I'm in. I ask what gang he is talking about. He says that in this neighborhood, the children are divided into two gangs. Boys usually go to his group. This might shock you, but I did actually consider joining- I had no idea what trouble they cooked up. Then he spots Hazel and pushes her out of the swing. She tumbles to the ground and whimpers. And I realize that I'm definitely not hanging out with gits the like of them. I tell them so, too. He wasn't pleased. He said that I've made myself a new enemy. I say I don't care. They sod off after muttering a few empty threats, and Hazel says I shouldn't have done that- he was her brother."

"Yeah," I said. "That's nice and all, but what does this have to do with Violet?"

"I'm getting to that part," he assured me. "So I have a few more hours. Then another gang came, only this time it was a bunch of girls. Violet was the leader. From your description about her former self, she seems to have gained a lot more confidence. She certainly wasn't as daring as before. But she has a fierce and sometimes likeable side of her, and that's how she was so popular. At first, I thought she was another mean bully, but Hazel runs and gives her a hug. She says that Violet's her sister."

"Must have been a real shocker," I commented.

"It was," he agreed. "It was plain that Hazel idolized her. Violet pats her head and smiles, then turns to me. She says that she heard that I didn't join her brother's gang. Boys aren't usually around in her group, but they're willing to make an exception for me. I ask if Hazel's in, too, at which Hazel turns slightly pink. Hazel replies that Violet doesn't think that she's old enough, and that she doesn't think she could keep up with them. In other words, she didn't want her little sister to tag along. It sickened me.

But I saw that she cared about Hazel really, so I say no thank you very much. She says why not, a bit angrily. Her eyes flash, like she was being insulted. I say that I'd rather stay with Hazel. Violet says that Hazel doesn't need me, and she looks at her to confirm this. Hazel hesitates, and then says in a timid voice that it would be nice to have a buddy of her own, but she doesn't really need one. It dawns to me that every single kid either gets sorted to her brother's or her sister's group, and probably never talks to her. Violet grits her teeth, but she can't deny Hazel a friend. But she's not used to having her way. She frowns as she looks at me, and I saw the beginnings of a grudge. Again, I don't care."

"So then what?" I asked.

"A few perfect weeks," he said dreamily. "Or at least close to perfect as possible. Ebony tried to pull in a few pranks, but we always managed to clean it up. Anyway, the amount of them lowered drastically when my parents started becoming close to theirs. Then things…happened." He frowned. "One by one, Violet's friends stopped going over to their place. I could tell since Violet's room is just across Hazel's. At the beginning there was so much _giggling_, but now it was quiet as a ghost. Hazel spent more and more time with Violet, and less time with me. To be perfectly honest, I was a bit annoyed. I didn't know what was going on then, and I thought that Violet was just being selfish. We didn't see each other for _weeks._"

"Must have been hard for you," I said.

"Very," he agreed. "Ebony kept teasing that his little sister was getting the best of me and laughing about it behind my back. But I didn't believe him. Hazel definitely wouldn't do that."

"Stowy!" Timmy pressed, crossing his arms.

"Alright, little chap, I'm doing my best." Charlie continued. "One day, Mrs. Daley invited me for a day out in the market. I absolutely _loved _going there, even though my parents disapproved at me staying with common folk. Regardless, I wanted to go anyway, and they reluctantly gave permission. Then Mrs. Daley, who'd taken a liking to Hazel and how polite she is, requested that I ask her to join. So I ran over to her house to she if she was in. She was there in the garden, playing Usukis with Violet. I called her from the gate, and she readily let me in. Violet, of course, was irritated. She asked what did I want. I said that I was there to invite Hazel for a day out in the marketplace." He turned a guilty shade of red.

"What?" I asked.

"I might have emphasized I wanted to invite _Hazel_," he mumbled. "Not _her_."

"I bet she didn't like that," I said.

"No," he replied. "She did not. She said that no way, Hazel was supposed to be staying with her. Then like the day she met me, she turned to her sister for confirmation. Hazel looked down, scared. Poor girl- I think that was the toughest decision she ever had to make. She said in a tiny voice that couldn't she just have a few hours with me and come back? Because she did spend many weeks with her, and she just wanted a chance to get out for some air." He grimaced. "You can imagine what response she got. Miss Firecracker, well….she….she…she…"

"She went boom?" Timmy suggested.

"Yes," said Charlie grimly. "I'm afraid she went boom. Spat out a lot of insults, saying that Hazel abandoned her at her time of need, and she's always been there, and a lot of other things that she thought would make her hurt. Hazel's face crumpled, but before she could change her mind I say 'Right. She's made her choice.' And we dashed of to Mrs. Daley." He smiled. "We had a lot of fun that day, going to the shops and larking about. Once we went to a hat store and tried everything on. The old codger who was running it went mad trying to get them back. At the end of the day Mrs. Daley went to get a few supplies needed, and left us with a few neopoints. We each got a cup of borovan and sat on a hill overlooking the kingdom. It has a marvelous view, you know?"

"I know," I said.

"Hazel was having a great time, but all throughout the day I noticed that she had this anxious expression. I asked her why, and she said that there was a bit of trouble in their house last night." He scrunched up his eyebrows. "Apparently, Violet caught Sasha taking things from the mantelpiece. Ebony saw it too, but called her a liar when she tried to tell their father. She still wasn't over it. I understood why Miss Firecracker wanted Hazel to stay then, but I still thought that it wasn't fair to keep her in the house. I asked didn't she think it was worth it? And she smiled and said it is. Then we went home." He winced. "The next time I saw Hazel after that was after the fire, though sometimes I spotted her eyes blinking sorrowfully at me from the window. Between Ebony and Sasha, they broke her already fragile confidence using guilt."

"What? Why?" I demanded.

Charlie looked right in my eyes. "Because that was the day Violet joined the guards."

Timmy blinked. "The pwincess was alone?"

Charlie nodded. "Without saying good-bye, even- she asked her mother's permission while Hazel was still out. She was heart-broken, though I heard that they made up the next Christmas. But _I _never forgave her. And Hazel never truly forgave herself, even though I kept telling her that it wasn't her fault." I tried to wrap my mind around this. Violet always struck me as annoying and bratty: but cruel? Not really, not even after she betrayed Brynn. Charlie must have seen my face, because he added, "To be fair, Violet never had it easy on her. Like I said, her friends abandoned her and she thought that her sister was all she had. I hoped that joining the guard would have helped, but…" He shrugged. "My family is invited to Hazel's parent's dinner party next week. Maybe I'll find time to talk to her."

"Yeah," I managed. "You do that." But what I was more worried about was what _I _was going to do. I was out of plans.

Week 3

I visited Charlie again, and it did not go as I expected (So what else is new?). As soon as he spotted me, he tore over, taking deep breaths. We nearly collided. "Woah, slow down, kid," I said, straightening him up. "Running like that is for people who know how to keep stamina. Like thieves. And guards too, for that matter."

"What _happened _last week?" He asked immediately. "Did a ghost possess her or something?" At first I thought it was really serious, but then I noticed he was grinning from ear to ear. "You have _got _to come and see this." He tugged on my arm and led me back inside the house. Instead of staying inside with all the finery and fancy furnishings, however, he took me round to back to a smaller and simpler cottage.

Mrs. Daley was in front, trimming the flowers. "Hello there," she smiled. "Welcome to my humble abode." She gestured to the house. "I expect you want to see my husband's video?"

"Mr. Daley is the extra-security man," Charlie explained. "He's not an official guard, but he's really handy with tools and such, plus he's really patient. People pay him to build cameras inside their house and watch for thieves all day (using shifts with a partner, of course). He taped the whole thing!"

"Taped what?" I asked.

He gave me a knowing smile. "You'll see."

Mr. Daley was a muscular, old Gnorbu with a kind smile. He took out a video tape. "This what you're looking for?" He shook it. "Charlie's making such a big deal of this," he told me. "Then again, maybe he should. It's not often that his little friend stands up for herself."

"Huh?" I gawped.

"Mr. Daley!" He scolded. "You're spoiling it!" The Gnorbu just laughed and handed it over, grinning. Charlie eagerly stuffed it inside a television set, and then sat down to watch.

At first, it was just what I thought a fancy party would be. All the adults were making small-talk, and all the kids were looking uncomfortable. Charlie entered, scanning the crowd keenly. He saw Hazel, standing in the corner. I couldn't help think that there was something odd about her appearance…something more determined. Charlie turned the speakers up.

His TV self said, "Hazel, I need to talk to-"

"Not now, Charlie," she replied clearly. "I have work to do."

His jaw dropped. "What?"

She gave him a sad, sweet smile. "You'll find out soon enough." Quickly, she darted out of the room before he could ask any more questions. Instead of going to the dining room or kitchen or however, she crept inside a door that looked like it could be a bedroom. A golden plaque outside read _Sasha. _Hazel wasn't being particularly sneaky, but everybody was too preoccupied to pay any attention to her. Even the nanny bat herself, who was talking to a few of Ebony's gang and batting her eyelashes at them. Ugh.

Suddenly, Hazel appeared. She was carrying a big bag and bringing it to a platform. In the throng, I saw a fierce Usul that looked a lot like Ebony whispered to a lady that looked like Violet, "What's she doing?" The lady's only response was shrug, a little fearfully. I realized that they were Hazel's parents.

"Excuse me, everybody," she called on the microphone. Everyone gazed at her in her obediently. She hesitated, and then said, "I have announcement to make." They waited. She took a deep breath, which sounded off audibly. Charlie stared up her and smiled encouragingly, even though he didn't know what in Neopia was going on. "I- I just snuck into my nanny's room," she confessed. There was a collective gasp, and a few shrieks from Sasha and Ebony themselves. She hurried on, "A few months ago, my sister was accused of stealing a few items, and she ran away because of it." Again there were yelps of alarm.

At that point, her father pushed his way through the crowd and went up the stage. He kept this fake, plastered smile on, but it was evident that he was angry. "Nonsense!" He said too cheerily. "My little girl's always exaggerating- you know how kids are!"

There was a deep murmur of assent, but Hazel took the mike from her dad. "No, please, listen!" She cried, her eyes tearing up. "I found the items…in _her _bag." She pointed at Sasha. "My sister, Violet, never took them. It was her all along, fooling and deceiving everybody around her. Here!" She took out a necklace made of creamy pearls. "This was my Mum's." She took a golden watch out. "This was my Dad's." She displayed the items one by one, and her father was forced to watch, his eye twitching. Occasionally, a member of the audience said it belonged to him or her, and it was happily returned.

After the pouch was emptied, there was a huge silence that seemed to stretch on to forever. Then a fancy Krawk said, "The little girl solved a mystery!" I guess wealthy folks are sappy. They began applauding, and Hazel did a tiny curtsy. Charlie beamed.

"But what about the maid?" Somebody else asked. "We should take her to the guards!"

But Sasha was gone. At that point, the video started shutting down. However, it didn't disguise Ebony's cry of absolute frustration. He'd get revenge for this, I know. Charlie took it out. "See?"

"Wow," a familiar, sweet voice piped up. "Kinda hard to believe I did that." Hazel peeked around the doorway, smiling shyly.

"Hazel!" Charlie cried, rushing to give her a hug. "That was brilliant! _Brilliant_!" Then he started on how brilliant it was. "You did it in front of a crowd," he said with awe. "That's awfully clever of you, seeing as that if you did it privately, she'd get no punishment at all. And the way you spoke up to your father, and announced it, and…"

"It was nothing," she said, turning pink. "Anyway, I got the reset of the month's worth of being grounded for it."

"That's exactly what your brother got for _burning _down my house and nearly _killing_ the entire neighborhood!" He exclaimed. Then he let what she said sink in. "Wait, then aren't you supposed to be there now?"

She blushed again. "I might have snuck out."

Charlie looked at her with wonder. "Who are you and what have you done with my best mate?"

She giggled, but her face quickly became serious again. "I did it to prove to Violet that I wasn't a coward. I was kind of hoping that if I could be brave, just this once, then she would be, too."

"You already are," I replied firmly. She shook her head. "You are!" I insisted. "What cowardly girl would tell a whole crowd about Sasha? Or visit her sometimes spiteful sister in the guard? Or go visit Charlie with a thief she barely knew? Or for that matter, try and break into a burning house to save her best friend?"

"You did _what_?" Charlie ejaculated. "_Brilliant_!"

"You might have used that word a few times already, dear," Mrs. Daley said wryly.

"Could you make a copy and send it to Violet, please?" Hazel inquired.

Mr. Daley nodded and smiled. "Of course. And come visit us as soon as your penance is over- I have a feeling it won't be as hard as when Sasha is there. I promise, my wife will have fresh cookies waiting!"

Week 4

As soon as I got back to class, I went to Kayley's desk. "Thank you."

She blinked. "For what?"

"For the 'blood is thicker than water' thing the other day. It really helped."

"Of course it would," she said imperiously. "So…how did it go?" Even she couldn't hide how curious she was. I filled her in on all the details. "Woah. That little girl is tougher than I imagined."

"I know, right?" I said. "Different from what I first she would be."

"Like how you thought about Kanrik. Or Juliet. Or Jacques," she suggested.

"Or you with Brynn," I said. Uh-oh. Big mistake. Her eyes narrowed, and she was back to ignoring me again.

But she was right, though. People don't always turn out how you expect them to be. I thought that Hazel was some sort of damsel in distress, in need of saving. But it turns out the princess could save herself.

**LONGEST. CHAPTER. EVER. **

**Hopefully it was good, though. Excuse my little typo at the top, about putting in Amethyst instead of Caylis. It probably had nothing to do that I've been hearing about Ameques a lot and searched around for what it was talking about. Nothing at all. Rest assured, it probably won't happen again. :) **


	28. April at Age 9

The Month of Eating (April) Age 9

Week 1

Hazel's been going over a lot to Charlie's house now. Sasha's not there to boss her around, so she has a lot of free time. There were a few occasions when Ebony's tried to stop her, but he never really succeeded. That little girl's getting more daring. I wish I could say the same for her sister, but from Sharon's conversations she's getting even worse- paler, more timid, and "so last week."

I think she's watched the tape, though; the girls mentioned something about "Miss Gray Girl's bratty little sister" and how she sent her some sort of present that Violet won't let anyone see. She hasn't acted, but I hope she does. It'd be nice for Brynn to get another friend back.

Week 2

The guards are going to have a tournament next week, though now it's only for the older kids. Kanrik's not making us attend, so most of the group is going to use it for 'independent study.' In other words, pestering Jacques for more stories.

"Does your crew keep in touch with you?" Juliet asked.

He looked uncomfortable. "Erm, yes. If you remember, I sometimes go out of the classroom in the middle of the lesson to get some letters."

"Like when Kayley tried to kill me last year," Razor muttered.

"There was no harm done," he said defensively.

"Could you show them to us?" Julius piped up.

Jacques made a move for the shelf of books- the one that no one touches 'cause it's so boring- but then stopped. "No."

"Why not?" Juliet whined.

"Because some are _private._" He glanced at the highest shelf, which none of us can reach yet. Everybody's going to be dying to go grab it, and but for once I decided not to get caught up. I have enough mysteries to tangle with.

Week 3

Things are getting desperate. I mean, seriously desperate. Kanrik was almost killed….

Maybe I should start over. This week was supposed to be individual lessons with mentors (good thing too, since we're honestly not learning that much from Jacques any more). Of course I wasn't sure if mine was going to be there, he is the guild leader and all, but he showed. But I kind of wish he didn't.

"Uh, Kanrik, are you sure you want me to teach me today?" I asked nervously.

He looked exhausted. His eyes were bloodshot, and his clothes were all rumpled. He kept his hand pressed to his forehead, as if he had a migraine. "It's that bad, huh? It must be, for you to notice." He closed his eyes. "No, we need as many able-minded thieves as we can get, even if they are young."

"_Especially _if they're young," I corrected indignantly. "You guys couldn't do a thing without us. Me particularly."

He smiled slightly. "_There's _the Hanso I know. Don't worry, this won't require a lot of effort. We're simply going to watch a guard's tournament: it's like the one when you were seven, but for the older trainees."

"So Brynn's not competing?" I questioned, disappointed. I would have loved to watch her knock the socks of Harry again, now that I knew who he is.

"Not everything in the guard has to do with Brynn," he said. "We need to scout out these guards carefully. They're graduating a few years from now, and some could be a threat. We definitely don't need that with Masila around."

"Masila won't be around 'in a few years.' She'd have already been defeated," I said firmly.

He sighed. "By who, might I ask? She's gained a lot of support. There's barely any of the Master Thieves left, even the ones I considered loyal. And even if we can get her alone, she can match any of us in hand-to-hand combat. Anyway, it's nothing that you need to be worrying about," he added. "We're watching the tournament." I knew by his tone that it was final.

Then I had an idea. "Could I invite a few friends?"

He stared at me exasperatedly. "They're with their own mentors, and I don't want their lesson plans interrupted-"

"They're not thieves," I said.

"All guards are going to be there, including Brynn," he said.

"They're not guards, either. They're rich kids."

"Hanso!" He cried, frustrated.

"Kanrik!" I imitated him.

"You won't be able to keep all of these friendships," he warned. "Maybe someday they could be your targets in desperate times."

"That's my problem, remember?" I grinned cheekily. "Besides, it's really just a question of loyalty, right? And you know I'm really, really loyal."

"Of course you are," he grumbled. "Only loyal thieves would dare make such…flippant requests."

"Now you sound like that snotty Lenny teacher," I said. "Can I invite them or what?"

"Fine. But be quick about it. I'll meet you at the guard's gate." He strode off, and I ran to get a few friends.

Hazel and Charlie were talking animatedly when I reached them. "Hi, Hanso," said Hazel sweetly. "What are you doing here? Don't you have thief classes or something?"

"It's mentor week," I explained. "Kanrik's teaching me today. Anyway, we're kind of going to break into a guard tournament-"

She gasped. "You aren't going to do anything, right?"

"Of course not," I assured her. "We're just going to watch for the new people who could be a threat. Since it's a guard thing, and all of the age groups are going to be there, maybe Violet would be too. It'll give you a chance to talk to her again."

She stood up nervously. "Are you sure it's going to be safe? Your teacher is the guild leader, right?" I nodded. She looked like she was about to go up a tree again.

"He won't rob you," I promised.

She relaxed. "Okay. I think I can give it another try. Charlie?"

"Miss Firecracker's there?" Charlie asked. "Sorry, Hanso, but I'm really much too busy…"

"Please?" Hazel begged. "I'm still a little scared."

"You've proven quite well that you can manage without me. But all the same," he said, beaming at her, "It does feel nice to be needed."

"Alright, kids, come on," I said, grabbing both of their wrists and pulling them.

"We are not kids," Charlie said, sounding slightly annoyed. "I'm only three years younger than you!"

I rolled my eyes and yanked them along until we stood in front of the castle. Unlike last time, there weren't that much people going in. It was supposed to be private, I guess. Kanrik stood by an oak tree. He raised his eyebrows at the two. "So these are your charges?"

"Yeah," I replied.

He eyed Hazel carefully. "Haven't I seen you before?"

She trembled, probably not liking being the object of attention. "Um, maybe you know my sister," she mumbled. "Her name is Violet."

"The guard that captured you with Brynn," I put in.

"The one that foolishly charged at Zida?" He asked.

"My sister is not foolish," Hazel said, regaining courage. She stared at Kanrik defiantly. Luckily, he took the hint.

"My apologies, Miss Hazel," he said, bowing his head slightly. "It was merely a slip of the tongue, no doubt caused by the ample amount of time I've spent with this knave." I had no idea what he said. I didn't know he could speak fancy-talk! Hazel, though, giggled at his flowery language, and both she and Charlie laughed at something I didn't understand.

"Huh? What in Neopia is a knave?" I asked.

He shook his head. "One time you're going to have to learn how to blend in with any crowd. Including them," he said as he gestured to Hazel and Charlie. "Come on then, children." Instead of sneaking in, he bribed somebody to let us go inside. We still had the furthest seats, though. That was good, I guess, since I could see the whole crowd- including Brynn.

"Isn't that Miss Firecracker?" Charlie said, pointing near the entrance. "Oh, my. Her hair's tangled."

"You said it doesn't matter!" Hazel protested.

"Right," he said. "Just pointing it out. Look, she seems at lost at what to do." She was with Harry's gang, but without him forcing her to be there she was allowed to do go somewhere else. She scanned the audience, probably to find somebody to sit with. So it wasn't that much of a surprise when her eyes landed on us. Her jaw dropped.

Hazel waved at her timidly. Violet did the same. Seeing as she got her attention, Hazel took a deep breath and pointed to where Brynn was sitting. Violet frowned and shook her head.

"What in Neopia is Hazel doing?" Kanrik asked.

"Um, a little project. I'll explain later," I said, watching intently.

Hazel's face was pleading. She pointed to Brynn again. Violet closed her eyes in defeat and treaded to her slowly. Each step she took dragged on and on, as if she was delaying for what she thought was going to be a rejection from a friend. I was a bit scared, too. But I should've known Brynn was too nice for that.

Violet asked her a question, and she nodded happily, gesturing between herself and Sophia. Violet appeared amazed, and was gazing at Brynn gratefully. She peeked at her sister just for a second before turning to the tournament.

There wasn't that much excitement until the last round. That's when Sam and Harry stepped up. Looking at the spectators, it was obvious that they had chosen sides. Some were sneering at Sam, others were shaking their fists at Harry. "This ought to be interesting," Kanrik said, stating my thoughts exactly. But we didn't have the same reasons. "I know him."

"What? Which one?" I inquired immediately.

Kanrik pointed to Sam. "That one- Marie's boy. I baby-sat him from time to time, when his mother was particularly distressed after his father's death. I even trained him myself. However, he chose to follow his dad's path," he said. "Shame. He really did show a lot of talent."

Without warning, a surge of jealousy coursed through me. Suddenly I felt angry for asking for his help before. If he was so great, then why didn't he assist Brynn and all the other kids before I told him to? _Get a grip, _I told myself. _He's a _former _thief. It's not like he's ever going to be needed again. _

Harry swiped and slashed at Sam vigorously. My eyes widened. He'd definitely gotten better since the last time I saw him. Still, there was something _wrong _about his movements. I don't know what, but it seemed like he was stronger than natural.

I heard Juliet's voice in my head. _This little sucker can make you slightly stronger- and a side-effect is that you tend to act on impulse more. _Sweet Fyora, Harry ate some of that chocolate! I'm not sure whether that's cheating or not, but Harry was definitely going to use it to pound Sam into mush. Sure enough, he had him on the floor in a matter of minutes. The time-limit was still going on, so all the guy had to do was yell insults at him as Sam kept taking his blows.

I glanced at Brynn. She was clutching Violet's arm; I knew that she was appealing her to do something. Violet bit her lip, and Brynn begged harder. I saw that Hazel was staring at her, too. She was indecisive and scared, that much I could tell. Then she glimpsed at her little sister, and she straightened up. "Harry!" She yelled audibly.

The audience quieted. A few grown-ups made a move to stop her, but I head one say to another that 'cheers' from the stands really is allowed- it was the guard's choice whether to acknowledge it within the ring or not. Harry looked up impulsively. "What?"

"Please, Harry!" Violet called.

Distracted, he let his foot slacken. That was enough for Sam. He whacked the sword away and stood up, fighting back even harder than before. He tripped Harry, forcing him into his former position. "I win." A gong sounded, signaling the battle was over. There was a roaring applause from the audience. I looked at Hazel, smiling, but she was gone. "Where'd she-?"

"Heading towards her sister, I expect," answered Charlie. "I believe Miss Firecracker has her sparks back."

I grinned. "Hey, Kanrik-" I turned to him, but he was stiffened. I frowned. "What's the matter?" Without a word, he pointed to somebody near the front row. She was a sharp beauty, with a purple hood fastened around her head. Her gaze was glued on to her nephew, eyeing him almost greedily. She clapped, steady and slow, with an evil smile on her face.

"Hanso?" Charlie asked. "Who is that lady? She looks like she's going towards Violet and her friends."

Oh, no, no. "We have to get out of here!" I said. I grabbed both his and Kanrik's wrist, and then pulled them towards the exit.

"We can't leave without Hazel!" Charlie said, veering us in the opposite direction. He was a lot stronger than I thought.

"Hey!" Before I could do anything, though, we were nearing Brynn's group.

Harry, apparently, did not like being beaten. He was venting it all out on Violet. "You idiot! You cost me this fight, stupid girl!"

He was about to smack her, when Sam blocked his fist. "Lost your little pet, Harry?"

"I'm not a pet!" Violet snapped.

"No, you're not," Sam agreed. He winked at her. "Do you want to join our Rebellion?"

"Don't you dare," Harry warned.

Violet seemed terrified again, but I saw her turn towards a slightly bulging tapestry for a second. I realized that Hazel was probably hiding under there. Her eyes turned to slits, and she said, "You don't know what I would and wouldn't do. And I'm joining."

Brynn and Sophia squealed. Harry made a move to her, but Sam pushed him back. "She's made her choice. Stay away from her…unless you want a rematch of the tournament?" Harry gritted his teeth, but shoved off.

"Come on, Violet, you have to meet our members," Brynn said, arm in arm with her.

"Go ahead," she said with a smile. "I have to take care of something first." As soon as they were all out of sight, she opened the tapestry and squeezed Hazel.

"You did it!" Hazel cried, hugging her back.

"_You _did it," said Violet. "You stood up for yourself from Dad, Ebony, Sasha, Mum…and even me. That was absolutely brilliant."

"Exactly what I was saying," Charlie said, stepping near them.

Violet glanced at his way, and then stopped with disbelief. She started glowering at him. "If you try anything-"

"Please," Charlie said, rolling his eyes. "Can we _please _at least act civil in front of Hazel?"

"You little-"

"Guys!" I interrupted. "We have to go now."

"Yes," Violet agreed. "Or else I'll have to call back-up." She embraced Hazel one last time and then ran off to catch up with Brynn.

Hazel sighed contently. "That was fun."

"Yeah," I said. "But we have to go! There's this-"

"But what's the rush, Hanso?" A silky voice said. I flinched, turning to look back at Masila in all her glory. "Once I finish your little guild leader off, you can stay here as long as you like. In jail."

"What makes you think he's here?" I challenged.

"Because _you're _here," she answered smoothly. "But the rest of your pathetic class isn't. Where is he?" Her voice was powerful, trying to force a reply out of us. I resisted, not saying anything, but Hazel and Charlie looked like they were in a trance. "Wouldn't you like that? No more problems from this troublesome thief?" She said encouragingly.

"Masila," a voice rasped. I winced again: This was nearly even worse. Kanrik was there with his knife drawn out, trying to _protect_ us. Ugh.

"You don't look so well, dear. Have I been causing you too many problems?" Masila smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be sure to end your pain soon enough. Anyway, you coming out of hiding made the whole business so much easier." She took out her dagger.

"I won't let you win," he growled.

She laughed. "But I already have." With that, she lunged. I wasn't fast enough to defend him this time, and I think we all knew that he didn't have a chance. I closed my eyes.

_Clang!_

I opened one, scared. Somebody had stepped in. But who would do that? Opening both, I saw a red Kyrii wearing a guard's uniform. Sam was back. "Assulting a pedestrian- especially in castle grounds- is prohibited," he said sternly.

"Sam!" Masila exclaimed. She beamed at him with something that almost seemed like...pride. "I don't know if you remember me; you were so small when I left, but…"

"I know exactly who you are, auntie," he said in a cold voice.

She paused at his harsh prose. Her eyes narrowed. "Do you know who's at your back? I assure you, he's no ordinary villager."

"Of course," he answered. "But he's a friend of Mum's so I'm rather inclined to let him go just this once." He glanced sideways at Kanrik. "Now." The guild leader instantly vanished with a wave of his cloak.

For a minute, Masila's mask slipped. Her face was contorted with anger and madness, and she cried out in alarm. But she quickly rearranged her expression in to a calm smile. "Alright, nephew," she said vehemently. "You can take your own time to come around. It's only a matter of when." She disappeared, too.

"Never," he whispered, grasping his hilt. There was a sad light in his face. Whether I liked it or not, I was sure he needed a bit of help.

"Yeah," I said, startling him. "You're not like her. And you probably never will be."

He raised his eyebrows. "Mr. Honesty again? I should've known." He smiled. Briskly, he walked away from the scene, stopping only near me to say, "You were never here."

"What just happened?" Hazel wondered out loud. I explained the situation.

"Wow," Charlie said. "You thieves have dangerous lives."

"That's just the way we like it," I answered with a grin. "But now I better go. I think that Kanrik's going back to headquarters."

"That's alright," Charlie said. "We can go back home by ourselves, I think."

Hazel tugged at my arm. "Hanso, that lady, the Thieves' Guild, not to mention your friend…those are awfully big problems, aren't they?" I shrugged. "But you still helped me. I think the least we could do is to help you with this one."

"Brilliant idea, Hazel," Charlie ejaculated.

I gave them a half-smile. "Sorry, guys, but I'm not sure you could."

"Did you try talking to Hannah?" Hazel piped up. "I heard that she was friends with Kanrik."

"I tried to contact her, but she won't reply to a letter. And even if she does read it, she'll probably think it's a bunch of baloney. In fact, the only way I could probably get her to help is if I ask her….in person…" An idea popped into my mind. I smiled. "I take it back. You helped me already!" I said a quick good-bye and raced towards the guild hideout, leaving the both of them confused but happy.

Week 4

Just before the bell rang, I broke the class's little habitarium of petpetpets. They flew all around the room, buzzing annoyingly. Everybody kept trying to swat them away. Juliet was especially scared, leaping onto her brother when one particularly huge one came close. "This is being _independent_?" Julius asked irritably.

"Hanso," Jacques groaned.

I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry?"

He rolled his eyes. "Alright. I'll just go ask the cleaners to-"

"No! I'll do it!" I interrupted. "I mean, I did make the mess, so shouldn't I clean it up? As a punishment?"

Jacques looked at me as though I were crazy. "I was never big on punishments."

"Well….it'll be a good time to learn."

"Fine. Stay," he said. "Clean the whole thing up, but I'm not going to miss my lunch break- er, I mean, time for grading papers just to watch you work."

"That's okay," I said. "I can be by myself."

"Why do I have a feeling this isn't going end well?" He asked to no one in particular. "Go straight to lunch once you're done."

"Yes, sir," I saluted. When they all got out, I quickly climbed on a desk to get to the book shelf: the one that contained Jacques's letters. I grabbed a random one from a stack labeled 'Garin' and put it in my coat. I hurriedly put the other notes back.

"What are you doing?" Somebody asked. I whirled around. Kayley was standing near the door way, her arms crossed. "The bugs are on the floor."

"I, um, I'm pretending to be on a stage," I blurted out.

"A stage," she repeated.

"Yeah," I said. "I always wanted to be a performer. Maybe a rock star, like the ones that show on the stadium in Tyrannia."

"Lying again," she sighed. "I'm keeping an eye out for you. Remember that."

"I will," I said. I meant it. But I had a plan…and I couldn't afford anyone to stop me.

**Questions from last time:**

**Delta- I really doubt that I'm going catch up to Brynn's Diary while it's still in progress. If I do, then…well, I'll think about it if I do. ;)**

**Amethyst- How could there be typos in a notebook? Hm. Good question. I suggest you go and ask Puddles. Or Sandy ('Cause anything's possible with loooooove!). Really, though, it won't happen again. :D**


	29. May at Age 9

The Month of Hunting (May) Age 9

Week 1

I know I wasn't supposed to – it wasn't even a part of the plan – but I couldn't resist opening the letter to find out what Master Jacques was hiding. Can you blame me? The guy's more secretive than Kanrik. I didn't even know his _name _for two or three whole years!

I borrowed a letter opener from my Dad after school. It was shiny and silver, so I guessed he stole it but thought it too useful to pawn it off. Anyway, it cut through the seal like a charm. The problem was, I couldn't read it. It was gibberish. Pure gibberish!

I quickly turned it over to find the address. That was gibberish, too. That was _so _not part of the plan. Sooner or later, Jacques is going to notice one of his letters missing, and I'll have to give it back. But I can't. I _need _to get that address, which I guess means I have to crack the code. Oh, joy.

Good thing I know a good code-cracker who doesn't hate me. Razor was studying his potions book when I asked, "You know anything about message codes?"

He looked surprised. "Uh-huh. I'm not an expert, but I think I can translate it." His eyes widened when I brought out the letter. "Sweet Fyora, isn't that-?"

"Yeah," I admitted. "It's from Jacques's shelf."

He grinned. "Okay, I definitely have to help you with this one." He checked it over for a long time, flipping it, turning it upside down, even putting it near the fire. Nothing. Now he was really perplexed, but he wouldn't give up. I guess this equals to a challenge to him. In a way, he can't resist problems as much as I can't. But for awhile all he seemed to see was a bunch of numbers.

After a few more hours, I said, "Well?"

He sighed. "I know what code it is, and even how to crack it. But I can't do it right now. Looks like Jacques took extra precautions for this."

"How?" I asked eagerly.

"Okay, look. You see all these numbers with dashes and stuff?" He gestured to them. "The numbers are separated with dashes, and sometimes with spaces. The numbers that have dashes, like 24-11-6-9, are words. When those words are separated with spaces, like 24-25-12_11-22-5-9, they become separate. And a period marks the end of a sentence."

"So how do you translate it?"

"Well, that's the thing. He and the person on the other end would have to agree on a passage and then number it. Here's a sentence from my textbook: _Potions are very important._ So if we agreed that the passage would be that sentence, _P _would be _1, O _would be _2, T _would be _3, I _would be _4, _and so on. Whoever's trying to crack the code would have to find the passage they agreed on."

"Darn," I grumbled. "What if he notices the letter's missing before then?"

He stared at me indecorously. "Then copy it!"

"Oh," I said. "Oops. Okay, thanks Razor."

He shrugged. "Anytime. I owe you one."

Week 2

To make it even worse, I think I have bad news on Brynn's side. I'm not an absolute hundred percent sure, but it seems so. I was listening to Sharon and those snotty girls, when one of them said, "So, like, did you hear about Susan?"

"Like yeah! She's supposed to be, like, the new girl or something. She's a Shadow Cybunny. Like, dark much?"

"Still, she could be pretty anyway. Black is so fashionable in Neopia Central nowadays, I've heard."

"Oh, yeah, right. I wonder which side's she going to be in? Like, Harry's side or the Rebellion. What are you hoping for, Sharon?"

The girl shrugged. "Harry's?"

"But aren't we, like, in Sam's group?"

"Well, yeah," she admitted. "And I gotta say, he's pretty cool with that _voice _and stuff." Simultaneously, all the girls sighed. "But Harry's more of a tough guy. Nearly beat Sam in the tournament, remember? I'd like to go over to him, if it wasn't for Violet."

"How did he almost beat Sam?" Somebody wondered out loud. "No offense to him or whatever, but wasn't he like totally sucky with that sword? That weirdo, Brynn, got him in the last one."

"But wasn't that, like, three years ago? Anyway," she leaned forward as if she was about to share a juicy piece of gossip, "I saw he was talking to someone last month before the event. I couldn't tell if it was a girl or guy, since they were talking in whispers. I think it could have even been an adult. Tall for a kid, short for a grown-up, I mean, though she or he could've been crouching. I'm not sure – the person's face was cloaked."

_Masila? _I thought. That would've made sense. Making him insecure about being in the guard might have gotten him on her side. She must want him a lot, though, to be going out in the open. Most likely, she sent her spy. _And Harry knows who he or she is._

But no way would he ever, ever tell me. Ever.

"So, anyway," said Sharon, "About Harry. Who thinks we should join his side? He does have all the power around here. I don't know how Violet talked me into not going there, anyway."

"Well, it could have something to do with how she's turned beauty queen again after months of looking like a witch."

"True." Then Sharon grinned and leaned to the middle of the circle, as if she was going to tell them some big secret. "Might not be for long, though. I heard that Harry's planning an ambush."

"Why haven't you told Sam?'

She rolled her eyes. "It's common knowledge, actually. You'd have to live under, like, a rock not to of heard. But Brynn's house is even worse, so it'd make sense if _she_ doesn't know." I chanted in my head, _Stay calm. Stay calm. Being impulsive is for the sugar-crazed. Stay calm. _

I went back to headquarters, thinking. Brynn's no idiot, I'm sure she knows what's going on in her turf. But I'm worried about her anyway. What if she gets jumped and beat up when Sam's not there? And who was that spy?

Week 3

I went to Julius's and Juliet's lunch table. They were in a middle of an animated conversation, but stopped short when they saw me. I think they were a bit shocked. I mean, usually it's them interrupting one of my chats. Juliet was the first to recover. "Hi, Hanso," she said cheerfully. "Anything you need?"

"Just wondering, did any of you guys show how to use the candy to anyone else?" I asked.

They frowned. "No."

"Anybody else who knows how to use it?" I pressed.

"We-ell, I'm guessing you don't mean the Meerca brothers," said Julius. "They kind of go without saying. I can't really think of anyone right now. Why do you want to know, anyway?"

"Last month there was a guard's tournament," I explained. "I think that Harry guy could've eaten some of that chocolate to beat this other person."

"Wait," Juliet said. "You're accusing _us _of showing that jerk?" Her brows were cinched together, her whole face showing that she was hurt.

"No!" I quickly answered, not wanting another Kayley fiasco. "But it has to be _somebody._"

"It could've been that Luke," Julius suggested. "Harry might have forced it out of him."

"Not likely," I said. "Sam's taking good care of him especially, since he's so young."

"There are the Aisha thieves, but last I heard they were up robbing in Mystery Island." She shook her head. "I honestly don't know. On the other hand, we have been talking about it a little carelessly. There's a big chance that someone might have eavesdropped and told him." Her face darkened. "Then there' s Masila. Either she knew it herself and told her spy or vice-versa. My guess is that whoever's informing Harry is keeping her up to date as well."

"That's mostly why I need to find out who it is."

"We definitely have to," Julius agreed. "Nobody abuses the candy and gets away with it."

"Anybody have any ideas?" I asked. Julius and I turned to Juliet hopefully.

She rolled her eyes. "Boys. Always thinking the girl's are going to the hard work. But I might just have an idea."

"Great!" I exclaimed.

She shook her head. "It might be tougher than you expect."

Week 4

Luring Harry's gang away wasn't the hard part. They were all pretty ditzy anyway, and all of them had a triumphant look on their face. I didn't know why, but I had a strange feeling that it had something to do with Brynn. One of them said, "We really got 'em, didn't we?" And the others murmured in agreement. I couldn't worry about that, though.

Julius was the strongest one of us, so it was his job to distract Harry's group. If they somehow managed to corner him, he can beat them all to pulp anyway. He stood in front of them. "I'm a thief." Seriously, that was all it took to get them all chasing him.

Juliet had a rope. With it, she made a loop and lassoed Harry by the foot. She pulled to get him to us, and then glared at me. "A little help would be nice."

"Oh, right," I said as I yanked him along with us. He was still squirming. "Hey, I didn't know you were a cow-girl!"

She shrugged. "I did it with Julius a lot of times when he was getting a little bit too annoying."

Harry, though, wasn't as easy to chat with. "HEY! LEMME GO! I NEED TO CATCH THAT THIEF!"

"Yeah, yeah," I said.

He turned back to look at me. "You!"

"What is it with people and that word?" I asked rhetorically. "Yes, it's me. And we have to ask you a few questions."

"I'm never gonna tell you anything. All secrets of the Guard are safe with me, no matter how much you torture, burn, or even threaten-" Juliet brought out her knife. With that, he screamed like a girl. "Okay, okay, I'll tell you! There's a secret passage in the back wall which I use to sneak out, and then there's…"

"That's not what we need," Juliet interrupted.

"Oh," the big baby whimpered. He's powerless without his gang. "What do you want?"

"Remember last month?" I asked. "How'd you beat Sam?"

He struggled at first, but then finally answered, "Candy."

"That's cheating!" Juliet cried. "I never, ever, use candy in duels."

"I'm not you," Harry replied.

"Sure as Neopia you aren't. Who told you about the sugar?" She said. She dangled her dagger back and forth, like trying to hypnotize him.

"I-" His expression turned blank. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" I said angrily. "I heard somebody say that a person showed you last month."

"I don't know," he repeated.

"Don't play dumb-"

"Hanso," Juliet whispered. "I don't think he's lying."

"But then how does he know about it?"

She closed her eyes in frustration. "I have a theory about that. I told you that consuming too much would give you an energy overload, right?" I nodded. "It can also make you temporarily forgetful. Not completely, but it makes your memory fuzzy. I don't remember much when I was seven – just these flashes. If whoever gave him the candy forced him to try a high dose of it out, then that's what's happening to him."

"So we can't coax any information out?" I questioned. "He's completely useless?"

"Hey," he protested. "I am not useless." He did this wide, evil smirk. "Even got one of Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes' s friends to betray her."

"What?" I yelped. He snickered. Suddenly, I had my own knife out, and was pointing it to him. "Okay, you're not useless. Now be a good little prisoner and tell me who the betrayer in sam's group is. Violet?"

He stared, cross-eyed, at the point. "Susan."

"That Shadow Cybunny," I muttered. "But I bet Brynn's probably figured it out now."

He did this horrible laugh. "Yeah."

"Want me to punch you again?" I asked. It was an empty threat, but he cowered just the same.

"I can make him forget about everything," Juliet piped up. "Even the candy. If he just eats this sugar crystal…" She grabbed it from her pocket never-ending sweets. It was sugary and small, seeming too sweet to be any real harm. Just like Juliet herself.

"So, how does it work? Like, is it a complete memory loss? 'Cause I wouldn't mind that if we had to."

She shook her head. "Nah, it'll just nearly everything that happened the last two months. Not all, but just enough so that he won't remember the important bits." She smirked. "He might not even remember that the Violet girl quit his gang, and that he's mad at her – I bet he'll try to get her back."

I hesitated. For all I knew, this could be the last chance I would find out who the spy is, and I didn't want to give it up too hastily. But it'll make it a lot safer for Brynn. And besides, if it really was Masila, then I didn't want to give her another initiative to kill Brynn. I just sighed. "Go ahead."

"Uh-uh. There is no way I'm gonna-" Juliet shoved the candy in his mouth. "Woah…goodnight, Mommy…" With that, he fell on top of her in a heap.

She squealed. "Hey, get me out of here!" I laughed and tried to pull her. Wow, that guy was really heavy. I couldn't lug her out from under him. "Hanso, if you can't get me out of here then this is so going to be the last time I am _ever _going to help you."

"Need some assistance?" A voice asked. Sam was there, grinning slightly, though it faltered when he saw Harry. "Not that I'm complaining, but you could get in trouble for this. What'd you do to him?"

"Let's just say he won't be beating you in any more duels," I said. He nodded like this was perfectly normal and tugged Juliet out.

"Be careful, you two," he warned us. "You don't know how dangerous the situation really is, especially for thieves." He winked and escorted us to the door.

"Oh, and if anyone asks," I said, grinning.

"You were never here," he finished.

**Sorry for the delay. :( I just have loads of stuff to pack, plus a few extra assignments from my **_**parents. **_**You're welcome to feel sorry for me. ;) **


	30. June at Age 9

**Short again, but hopefully the **_**next **_**chapter will make up for it. Hopefully I'll be able to update each week (every Sunday in my time) consistently from now on. By the way, the poem below is a real one called "Farewell to Fellow Voyagers" by Lydia Sigournery. Just wondering, which of you actually read the Neopian Times? :)**

The Month of Relaxing (June) Age 9

Week 1

Susan got kicked out, which was a major relief. That's one less thing that I have to worry about. Anyway, the Draik man (Is it just me, or is _her _teacher hiding his name too?) got a load of what she did, and got her expelled. So yeah, one less problem.

On the down side, I still don't know how in Neopia am I going to find the passage that Jacques and his friend agreed on. For one thing, I know next to nothing about him. I know it's not that important, but it could've helped to know what books he liked. There are loads of them on the shelves. Even if I do somehow stumble across it, how would I know it's the right one? Or maybe it's not in a book at all. Maybe Garin and he created their own. Ugh! It's so frustrating.

None of my friends could help this time. Razor and twins had done all they could, and Kayley would glare every time I try and ask her. I think she's the one who could've fixed all this. After all, if I'm Kanrik's apprentice then technically that means that she's Jacques's apprentice as well. She knows him better than anybody, and even figured out who he was. I'm sure she could find the answer.

Unfortunately, no way she'd ever tell me, and Julius and Juliet absolutely refuse to corner her with me for interrogation. She's no Harry; we all know that she could take care of herself. She makes that clear enough – she terrifies everybody.

Oh, and another thing: I guess I'm not the only one who thought that she was a spy. A bunch of other thieves kept pestering her with questions. "Shut up or I'll slit your throat," she seethed at a particularly annoying one.

"Exactly what Masila's spy would do!" He said triumphantly.

She glowered at him, and he shrank back. "Don't you ever compare me to her. Might not seem like it, but I hate her as much as you do. Got it?"

"Okay," he whispered.

But some were not as easily beaten as him. Nort came swaggering up. "So, I hear you're the spy."

"Am not!" She snapped.

He winked at her. "Of course. Keeping incognito, are you?" She was about ready to slap him. "Anyway, I just want to say that I totally agree with you."

"Huh?"

"I mean, Kanrik's losing his touch. We need real power, somebody who could keep control. Even if you're a kid, it's so awesome that you're really useful to her."

"That's it!" She screeched, and punched him in the jaw.

But after rubbing it, he just grinned. "Nice act. I can see why she picked you."

"Ugh!"

I sort of feel sorry for her. I'd hate being accused of being a spy. You know, I wonder why people find Kayley so suspicious. I mean, sure, she's really mysterious and all that. She's scary, and amazingly good with the dagger. She thinks about stuff a lot, trying to puzzle and calculate everything out. But that's no reason to think she's a spy. She's a brilliant thief.

I cannot believe I just admitted that.

Week 2

The code is in the Sea Shanties book. It has to be. Every time I see Jacques start to write a letter, he selects five tomes from the shelves to confuse us. But the Sea Shanties book was always there. I even saw the page number. Now all I needed was to look at it; and for that I needed help. Of course, I asked the twins again.

"You want us to do what?" Julius said in disbelief.

"Distract Jacques while I grab the book from his shelf," I said calmly. "He never leaves it by his desk, so it'll take awhile. Besides, you're already good at doing it naturally."

"Well, yeah," he admitted. "But that's just for fun. I never really acted before."

"What about that Harry thing?"

"I told him that I was a thief," he reminded me. "That wasn't lying."

"Juliet?" I questioned.

"I'll do it," she said quickly. Her brother threw her a strange look. It was like a question mixed with worry and disapproval, and I wondered what it meant. "I'm an alright actress."

"Then I guess I better do it too." Julius sighed. "But you better appreciate it."

"I do," I said.

Juliet frowned at him. "He wants candy. But Hanso's our friend, Julius. We should do it as a favor."

"No offense, but how many favors have we been doing him lately? Don't get me wrong, I'm cool with that, but I don't get why we're doing this. In fact," he turned to me. "Why are _you _doing this?"

I looked confused. "What?"

But Juliet nodded like she understood. "Yeah, that is something I've been thinking about. You're not the type to get obsessed with one single prank. And judging by the way you're acting, you're not going to tease Jacques about this at all. This is something else, isn't it? It's something really important."

"Does this have something to do with Masila?" A voice said. All three of us jumped. Though we've known Kayley for years, she could still blend into the background easily.

"No," I lied.

Kayley studied me for a moment, and then looked at the twins. "Could you guys excuse us for a moment?" They nodded and went away. After waiting a few minutes, she said, "You're lying again, but I'll forgive it this time because the twins are here. I'll ask it again. Does this have anything to do with Masila?"

I squirmed in my seat. If she said anything to Kanrik or Jacques, I'd be doomed. But I doubted her too many times. Now that I thought about it, every time I did trust her she was actually a good friend—as long as I had nothing to do with the guards. "Yes."

"Is it something about how Jacques was affected by her voice?" Kayley asked. "Because we're all pretty much affected, and I don't think you should worry about him personally. And you already know this, I can see it. You're looking at the bigger picture."

"Maybe," I said, staring downwards. "Look, I get that you're not going to help. But I really need you to not interfere."

"I never said I wasn't going to help," she huffed.

"So…you'll assist me in stealing the book?" I said hopefully.

"I never said that, either."

Week 3

The twins managed to come through for me in the end. It was true that Julius wasn't the best guy for an acting job - turns out that all the times he annoyed Jacques he was serious - but he was willing to try. After all, he along with his sister stole our teacher's dagger claiming they were going to use it to slice some cheese, blunting the blade forever. Jacques ran after them quickly, with Razor and Kayley hot on their heels (they didn't want to miss the fun).

I, however, had other plans. As soon as the door slammed shut, I began skimming the titles of the books. To my horror, there were no 'Sea Shanties.' Then I realized that he could have had the cover changed. This was going to take longer than I thought; but I had to work with the ten minutes that the twins promised me.

Scanning the shelves again and opening the contents, I didn't see anything. I tried again, searching for hidden compartments. Not one clue. I heard footsteps and began panicking, swiping random stuff out of the bookcase. It didn't help.

The knob turned. I held my breath.

"Oh, Master Jacques?" Kayley said. Jacques turned around. The doorway was still open, so I was in plain view of Kayley. Now would be the perfect time to betray me, to get me back for accusing her of being a spy and causing her all that torture from all the other thieves in the cafeteria.

But she didn't.

"I was just going to ask your opinion on various hiding places," she said emphatically.

"Yes?" Jacques said, tapping his foot.

"I think you mentioned in the lesson that you thought the best ones were _at the highest point_?" She glanced at me quickly, and then turned back to the Kyrii.

"Of course," he said. "No one ever looks there, mostly because it's so cliché to hide something on the highest point. On a ship, that's the sparrow's nest, as only one pirate keeps watch and there would be less chance to discover your secret."

I was already clambering on top of the bookcase. On the dusty boards, a book labeled 'Sea Shanties' was there. I grabbed it and put it in my coat, and then climbed back down. I gave Kayley a thumbs-up, but for some reason she frowned like she didn't believe me. I flipped open to the page. It was covered with the numbers of the code. Triumphantly, I showed it to her behind Jacques's back. She took a glimpse of it and nodded. I put it in my coat.

"Why the sudden interest in this?" Jacques continued.

"Oh, nothing," she said casually. I grinned. I was off the hook. At least, I thought so.

The gong rang. I was about to go when Jacques said, "Oh, Hanso, could you please return that book-shaped object in your coat? It's bad to invade someone's privacy."

He held out his hand, and reluctantly I handed the tome back to him. He tutted. "Just how stupid do you think I am? You do know that I'm a Master Thief, right? Just because the ones you've met so far were idiots (excluding Kanrik and your parents, of course) doesn't mean that I am too."

"Sorry," I muttered.

"And what in Neopia were you going to use it for? These are just a bunch of old rhymes. Unless…" his eyes widened. He grabbed the bag where he kept all his letters and leafed through it. Then he sighed with relief. Thank goodness that I had already copied the letter and returned it. "Oh, well, that's all right then. I'll just let you off with a warning. But the next time I see something like that happening again you will be punished."

"Of course I will," I said, not really believing it. He never was big on punishments.

"Tell Miss Kayley that the same goes to her," he told me, closing the door. I winced. I was farther than where I started.

I went to Kayley and glumly said the message. "He says that there'll be a penalty next time we try that again. Looks like we'll just have to figure out something else."

"No we don't," she said, a tone of superiority in her voice. "We have all the answers we need."

I stared at her. "The book's back there."

"Who says the book has all the information?"

"What? So…you have it?"

She rolled her eyes. And suddenly, I'm angry with her. Why doesn't she ever give me straight replies? For all the things she hasn't told me, she might as well be Masila's spy. I scowled and was about to go away, when she said, "The ballad is quite sad, really. And yes, Hanso, I do have it."

"Where?" I asked eagerly.

She got a slip of paper that was completely blank. I thought it was written in invisible ink or something, but instead Kayley started to write on it. She scribbled as fast as she could, the pencil making a dull scraping noise. But it was still a long poem to write. After about ten minutes, she said, "Here it is. It's called _Farewell to Fellow Voyagers_."

_When shall we all meet again?_

_When, shall we all meet again?_

_We, who side by side, so long,_

_Listen'd to the billows' song,_

_Saw the Sun, enrob'd in gloom,_

_Plunging 'mid his ocean-tomb,_

_And, anon, its bursting floor_

_To the skies, their king restore;_

_Days of hope, and nights of fear_

_Drew us, heart to heart more near,_

_And though now serenely fair_

_Gleams the haven of our prayer,_

_Still this parting hath its pain,_

_When, shall we all meet again?_

_When the watch of time is sped,_

_When its beacon-fires are dead,_

_When our sails no more are furl'd_

_From the tempests of the world,_

_And no more, expanding wide,_

_Woo its gales of joy or pride,_

_When those ties the heart that sway,_

_Pass, like smoking flax away,_

_When the judgment-seat is set,_

_When the tribes of earth are met,_

_When those Books, whose awful scroll_

_Seal the sentence of the soul,_

_Ope,—for endless bliss, or pain;_

_Then, shall we all meet again._

"A bit dreary, don't you think?" I commented.

She glared at me. "It's a poem of good-bye to sailor friends who he might never meet again. Of course it's dreary!"

"Stressy," I said. "How'd you get it, anyway? There's no way you could have possibly remembered all that."

"Some of us think ahead," she replied snottily. "Master Jacques is not easy to fool; like he said, he's not stupid. But he underestimates the twins. I asked Juliet for some memory enhancing candy when I heard about your plan—it was clear it wasn't going to work." I was about to protest when her face changed. Her lids became heavy, as if she hasn't slept for weeks, and then suddenly she slipped and fell. I caught her. "Ugh….stupid sugar rush. I hope that thing was worth it."

"It is," I promised.

"How?" She asked.

"I need to…um, translate something from one of Jacques's messages. It might help us."

She raised her eyebrows. "How? If Jacques has any substantial info in his letters, I'm sure he would've told Kanrik."

"I wasn't after his letters."

She frowned. "Then the only thing left to translate is the address. Why do you need to message his friend?"

"You'll see," I said.

Week 4

I sent the message today. It was really supposed to be last week, but I couldn't think of what to write. Plus I had to double- and triple-check that I got the address completely right before I could send it. After I neomailed it, I relaxed a bit and decoded Jacques's letter. It wasn't required; in fact, I guess I should have minded my own business and stayed satisfied with just the address. But after all the trouble I've taken and all I could do was wait, I decided to do something for fun. Shockingly, it's been awhile since I've done that. Here's what it said:

_Garin,_

_No, I'm not coming back yet. Would you stop asking me? I know it's been six years, but someone has to complete the prophecy that C made. It might as well be me; anyone else would have left their post in a week. I'm not being paranoid; it might be true. If C had made it up to get rid of me, then I'll stay here until the day I die. Or until she confesses. _

_Jacques_

Who was C? Caylis? What was this about a prophecy? And why was she trying to get rid of Jacques? It made no sense.

But I have other things to worry about.


	31. July at Age 9

The Month of Swimming (July) Age 9

Week 1

They came faster than I expected. Usually, a ship from Krawk Island would take at least a week to get here. I sent the letter a few days ago. So it was a shock to see the _Black Pawkeet _tiered to the Brightvale docks when I checked on it. I've been checking it daily multiple times, even when I doubted their speed. If they managed to get to the Guild before I could talk to them, the whole plan was ruined and I would be in a heap of trouble. I looked at the ship and my heart sank. It seemed as if they'd been here for hours.

But I heard yelling. Crossing the plank tentatively- I never did get over that whole river incident- I found what appeared to be the whole crew on board. An Usul with messy hair and roguish face was shouting, "Doesn't _one _of you pack of Koi know where the Thieves' Guild is?"

"Well," a Wocky said carefully, "We know it's hidden."

"OF COURSE WE KNOW THAT IT'S HIDDEN! THAT'S WHY WE CAN'T FIND IT!"

"Easy, Captain Garin," a Skeith said. So the Usul was Jacques's best friend. He'd told us a lot about him…when he was mad, people usually referred to him with the title. Reminding him that he was important in keeping the crew from going berserk managed to help calm him down a little.

"Okay, okay, that might have been a little uncalled for," he said.

"Might have?" Somebody muttered.

"But the point is, Jacques is in trouble. We _have _to find him." He paused for awhile to think. "I think the best option we have is to search for a thief- any thief that could bring us to the hideout."

"How are we going to tell that a person's a thief?" Someone asked.

Garin shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. "Maybe we should ask our little stowaway at the back." Instantly, all eyes turned on me. I cursed in my head. Like Jacques said, I've underestimated Master Thieves again; how could have I gone _not _undetected in a whole ship of them? "It's all right, kid. We're not going to hurt you- and judging by the jacket, badges, dagger, and the at least half-stealthy movement you put on earlier, you're a thief."

"Yeah," I said.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "Could you show us where the Thieves' Guild is?" Gain asked. "It's been awhile since we've visited the main headquarters. We're usually at the branch in Krawk Island." I hesitated. "Please," Garin begged. "It's urgent. My best friend, Jacques –do you know him?- is in danger, and we've come here as fast as we could, but-"

"Yeah…" I interrupted. "He's not in danger."

"What?" He looked at me blankly. "But he sent me a message." He took out a familiar piece of paper. After hours of agonizing what to put on it, I only wrote one word: HELP!

"I sent that," I confessed. "It was actually me that needed help. I have to get transportation from somewhere, and all the ships here are so serious about grain and stuff that they inspect every single inch of the boats. You were my only choice."

"So let me get this straight. You stole the code from Jacques," Garin butt in, frowning. "You call us from the middle of an adventure, right when we're nearing a treasure cave, and sent us hurtling here with the minimum of food and water thinking that one of our friends is in trouble _just_ so you can get somewhere?"

"Pretty much," I admitted sheepishly.

His mouth dropped open. "That's-"

"Look, I know it's bad and I'll try to pay you back, but-"

"Exactly what I would've done when I was a kid!" He finished. I stared at him. "All right, I think I can guess who you are now. Hanso, huh? Kanrik's apprentice and one of Jacques's most annoying and brilliant students."

"Um, yes," I said.

He laughed and shook his head. "Pleasure to meet you, Hanso. Don't you dare do anything like that again."

"Of course," I said. "So…can I come?"

"Depends on where you want to go," Garin said. "I'm so not going back to Mystery Island. And Faerieland? Forget it."

"Just to Krawk Island," I said.

"That's fine, then," he replied. "Does everyone agree?" A chorus of "ayes" answered. I heard someone say, "Well, he lead us quite a dance, but you got to admit that kid has spunk."

"Good," Garin said. He turned to me. "Meet us back here in about an hour."

"An _hour_?" I cried. "But… but…"

"When did you think we were leaving?" He questioned. A part of me that had given up hope wanted to say, _I never expected you to show up at all. _But I kept my mouth shut. He nodded, and then said emphatically, "One hour, kid. You got that? _One _hour. We have to restock some supplies, and of course we'll pick up some food for you, but you have to be here within one hour. If you don't, then we really have to go without you. We were actually in the middle of something."

"Sorry," I mumbled, but he patted me on the back.

"That's okay. One more thing—do your folks know you're here?"

My face flushed with shame, and I stared at the ground guiltily. This would kill them. "No."

"How about Jacques?" He queried.

I shook my head. "Not him, either."

"Good," he said. "I don't want anyone to think that I got hoodwinked by a nine-year-old. Just for the record, this stays between us, okay?" I nodded, and he started barking out orders to nearby pirates.

Quickly, I rushed home and gathered clothes in a backpack. I didn't need much for traveling- just a few outfits and another pair of socks, and I was all set. Before I went out, I glanced at my parents' bedroom door. This really would kill them, I thought. Especially Mom, who freaked out because of a shard of glass, who was way to overprotective, who stayed in the window everyday and breathed a sigh of relief whenever I walked inside. Who also ran away when she was little, and never came back…

I went to dock, having fifteen minutes to spare. Or so I thought. "Well, well, well," said a voice. "Going somewhere?" I whirled around to see Kayley. She still had her disapproving glare on. I wasn't sure whether it was her normal one or whether she disapproved of this whole thing.

I sighed. "Kayley…it isn't what it looks like…"

She raised her eyebrows. "So you're not going to sail to Krawk Island to find Hannah?"

I spluttered. "How'd you figure that out?"

"Please. It's no secret that Kanrik had a soft spot for Masila, and therefore more vulnerable than others. But he _has _a soft spot for Hannah, who might be able to counteract her effects. You're basically putting your whole life at risk of a possibility. You don't even know if Hannah is there—she and Kanrik haven't made contact for years!"

I looked down. Hearing Kayley put it that way made it seem more real and stupid. But I wasn't going to give up that easily. "I'm still going."

She snorted. "If I want to, I can stop you. I know your time limit. You might just be smart enough to defeat me, but I can hold you off for a long time. Enough time for them to sail away, and all your precious work would go to waste."

My face fell. She was right. "Darn."

"If I wanted to," she repeated. "But I don't." I gaped at her. "You're obviously the best chance the Guild has to survive. Kanrik is our leader, and he's powerless against Masila. If you fail and not find Hannah, then we'll all surely die."

"But no pressure," I said sarcastically.

"Right." We stand there awkwardly for a few moments. "So, yeah, you can go. I won't tell."

"Thanks," I said. Then suddenly I'm overcome with dread and worry. I don't usually think like this, but I wondered if I was good enough. _Really _good enough. I was choosing this responsibility; there was no one giving it, and probably no one would blame me if I back away. But there was nobody else to take my place. Or was there? I looked at Kayley. She was brilliant with throwing daggers and figuring things out. She was the top of our class. "You should go."

"What?" She was taken aback. "Now you get cold feet?"

"You're so much better at this stuff than I am," I said. "You're right, this is a big deal. The whole Guild is at stake! What if I'm too…well, incompetent?"

She stared at me for a long time, conflicting emotions going over her face. I could see that she wanted to do it. I realized that this was the opportunity that she was waiting for; the one where she could show everybody that she was better than me. And I was gladly giving it to her. Then she shook her head, like her mind was made up. She swallowed. "No."

"No?" I said in disbelief.

"Hanso, you're underestimating yourself," she said in a low voice. "You weren't completely incorrect when you guessed that I was hiding something. I'm not telling it to you now, though, but perhaps someday. Anyway, not many people could sense that. You have amazing fighting capacity, natural thieving skill…"

"You're giving me a big head right now," I said, grinning.

"Well, you need confidence," she snapped. "What's more, I hate to admit it but you're more resourceful than me. I make plans. I can figure things out, too. Yet when something goes wrong, when I've misjudged something or someone, I don't think well. That doesn't mean I'm wrong about the guards," she added quickly. "But…well, if you weren't with us that night when we rescued Kanrik, we'd all probably be still in jail."

"No you wouldn't," I said. "I'd have gotten around rescuing you at some point."

She rolled her eyes and continued like I haven't interrupted. "Besides," she said. "Do you really think that I'd leave this job to someone _incompetent_?"

I didn't answer; I just smiled. She wouldn't.

"Five minutes left," a crew member shouted from a distance. "All hands on deck!"

I was about to leave when Kayley grabbed my arm. Had she decided to switch places after all? No, she didn't. It was more like she was making a last minute decision. Before I could ask her what she was doing, she took something from her neck and gave it to me. It was a necklace, or at least something that resembled it. It was just a thin cord with a pebble attached to it. "You're giving me a…rock?"

"No," she said. "It's an obsidian stone tinted with magic."

"A _magic _rock, then," I said.

She sighed with exasperation. "Not just a rock. Look, I have a matching pair." She held it up. "At night, hold it to the moonlight and we can communicate through the reflection. I'll call only when it's urgent. Besides, it's safer than neomail since it can't get intercepted, and it's a lot faster too."

"Wow," I said, looking at the rock with new respect. Though it looked expensive and definitely beyond a thief's means, I suspected that this wasn't stolen. If it was, she'd have given one to me without a second thought. Instead she had to debate with herself whether or not to hand it to me. This was something precious to her. I think that's what boosted my confidence the most; she really thought I could do it.

"One more minute!" A voice rang out. Kayley pushed me towards the harbor, urging me to get on. I raced to the _Black Pawkeet, _jumping onboard just before they took away the plank. I made it. Kayley was on the docks. She waved hesitantly at me, and I waved back until she was just a speck.

Then I sighed and sat down, finally allowing my problems to overwhelm me. Being a thief should cover me for a little while. Maybe the Guild will think that I got captured and wait a few weeks before they panic. I hope so. This was going to kill me, too. Briefly, I wondered how Brynn would react if she knew what I was doing. Probably call me an idiot.

I smiled.

Week 2

We've been on sea for a week, and it was driving me crazy. And sick. For the first few days, I actually turned green, so Garin forced me downstairs. Then when I got better and managed to stay on the deck, he started using me as a cabin boy. "Can't ride without you having to pay your share," he said cheerfully. As a response, I grabbed the bucket of water and threw it on the floor, so he nearly went overboard. But he just laughed. "In the early days when we were just beginning, I got promoted first," he told me. "Me and Jacques got into a fight, and I used my new authority to make Jacques swab the decks for an hour. He did the exact same thing—except, I really did go overboard. He had to jump out of the boat and rescue me. _Then_ he got promoted."

My teacher did a _lot _of interesting things, it looked like. Garin and the rest of the crew told me stories about him and the fun they used to have. But they wanted a fair exchange: I had to tell them stories, too. So I started, right at the first day. At first Garin looked worried when he seemed all strict and teacher-ish at first, but then he relaxed when I told him that Jacques was never the most _responsible _adult. There were loads of times we could've been killed. He grinned and told me to go on. I reached to the part of the Jetsam nearly drowning me, and he whistled. "Good. So he hasn't gone all landlubber on me." But when I reached to the part with Masila...he got mad. "Abandoned him? Abandoned him? We came to blows before I allowed him to leave the ship!"

"He knows," I said quickly. "He didn't believe her. But…why did he leave, anyway? Looks like he really liked it here."

"Stupid prophecy," Garin muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing," he said quickly.

Once and a while the ship would pull over to raid a smaller one; they even pillaged weddings. I tried to tell Garin that we really should go, but it was awesome watching him jump out, grab some booty, and come back in a blink of an eye. Then to watch the people he robbed come shrieking after him until they nearly drowned in the ocean. He just smiled and waved.

Then one day we went down. I mean, really went down. It was like we were sinking, but Garin was acting like this was normal. "Don't worry," he said, seeing my worried expression. "It's just a friend who wants to talk, and I can't do that from the height we were in." Soon, we were just above the water.

At first nothing happened. Then there came a ripple in the surface, and a pretty Sea Aisha appeared. She had long, white hair and an optimistic look on her face. "Garin."

"Isca." Garin smiled. "I have your message. Why do you need to talk to me? We're kind of in a hurry."

"Well, it isn't me that needs to talk personally, it's…" She took a deep breath. "You have the boy with you, right? A stowaway?"

Garin frowned. "Hanso? Yeah, sure." He gestured to me. "Why?"

Isca flinched. "So my predictions were true. And so were Caylis's."

"Of course they were true," said a voice. It was deeper and older, maybe a bit more scornful, but it was sweet nevertheless. It sounded like Masila, without the persuasive quality. "My predictions always are. That's why I was banished, wasn't it? No matter how bad they were, nobody could stop them. So they blamed me. And they still haven't stopped." Another Sea Aisha appeared, Caylis I guess. "Hello, Garin."

"Caylis," Garin said, a bit of anger in his voice. "When are you going to call him back?"

"I never sent him away," she said coolly, but there was a hint of sorrow in her voice too. "I never wanted him to go, either. It was his choice."

"He had no choice! You remember how _noble _he always was." I frowned. What was Garin talking about?

"I am not here to speak of this," Caylis said harshly. "I'm here to talk to Hanso. You know who I am, correct?" She said, looking at me.

"Yeah," I said slowly. "You're Caylis, the girl Jacques had a crush on?" For a moment her cool demeanor slipped, and she turned a very bright shade of red. Garin, Isca, and the rest of the crew guffawed.

"No!" She snapped. "Well, yes, I'm Caylis, but…" She glared daggers at me. "I will ignore the last part of your sentence. I just came to give you this piece of information: Where there's moss, there's water. Where there's water, there's a way. Got that?"

"Um…I guess?"

"Alright," she said, and dived back underwater. Isca waved to the crew again before she followed her.

"What was that about?" I asked.

Garin wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Caylis's always giving useless information. If I were you, kid, I'd just forget about it." But I can't forget about it. I have a feeling it's going to be important later.

That puzzle took a step back, however, later that night. I've been checking the obsidian everyday. I know it's selfish, but I was hoping that there really was a message, just so I could see a familiar face from home. But when I actually got one, I was shocked. It burned my hand, and I nearly dropped it in the ocean. Holding it to the moonlight like Kayley instructed, I saw her face, still scowling disapprovingly at me. "Are you there yet?"

"What? No." I said. "We're still in the middle of the ocean. We had a few delays, but…"

"Well, you better get the captain to start rowing!" She snapped. "We have a _big _problem. Today, there was a Thieves' Riot. And it was because of you."

I spluttered stupidly for a few minutes. "WHAT?"

"Like you probably thought, Jacques said that you were probably captured again. He let it slide for a week. But today we had are mentors again, and when you weren't here…Kanrik freaked out. There's no other way to say it." She shook her head. "He exploded. Jacques tried to calm him down with the jail excuse, but Kanrik said that though he might have allowed kids to spend a few days there before, he can't allow it now. Masila's back. And if she had you, you would be a pretty good hostage."

"Me?" I said with disbelief. "What would I be worth to the Guild?"

"One of the youngest people who got inside the arena when he was seven. The person who had Illusen's staff. The youngest and most useful spy on the guards ever. The leader of Kanrik's escape—"

"Hey, that wasn't me," I protested.

"It was you," she said firmly. "The one who nearly died in the fire. The one who nearly drowned. You've become quite an epitome of thieving, Hanso. Plus, you're Kanrik's apprentice. Though most of the Guild probably wouldn't care what happens to you, Kanrik definitely would. If Masila had captured you, you would have been a pretty good bargaining tool."

"But I'm not captured," I said.

She rolled her eyes. "He doesn't know that. Anyway, he organized this whole thief convention to try and break you out of jail if you were there. That might have wiped out half of the Guild, and would kill a lot of guards. Not that I'm complaining with the last statement, though."

"So what stopped him?" I asked fearfully. "Assuming that something did stop him. Right?"

"Mm," she said.

I breathed a sigh of relief. "So who did? Wait. You didn't tell him the truth so he'd stop it, right?"

"No," she answered. "It was your little guard friend. It was her patrol day, and she tried to get to him—"

"Wait a minute. Brynn? She could get hurt there!"

"Oh, no need to waste your energy worrying," she said crossly. "The twins and Razor held most of the thieves who wanted to cream her back. It was very entertaining."

"And you didn't help?" I demanded.

She glared at me. Even in the stone it looked scary. "I've done my part by keeping my mouth shut. I'm not going to risk my life and position by trying to keep Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes safe, helpless as she is."

"She's not helpless!"

"Please." Kayley snorted. "She would've died today if the class wasn't on her side. Anyway, she had no idea what Kanrik was planning. Since she's about the only guard you'd allow to capture you, not to mention it was obvious she'd know that you were in the castle, he concluded that you weren't in prison. The whole thing stopped then and there, and she saved us a lot of blood whether she knew it or not. But now Kanrik, your parents, and about everyone in the Guild are going nuts trying to find you. You better get out of there fast."

"But-"

"I'll stall as long as I can," she promised. "But you gotta get here soon." With that, her image blurred and she was gone. I've spent most of my time already, and we weren't even there yet.

"Don't worry, kid," Garin said, making me jump. I didn't know that he was there. "I heard the whole thing. We'll get there as soon as possible, and I'll even not tell anyone about the necklace thing."

"Uh…thanks?" I said.

Week 3

She wasn't there. Well, not really. I guess I should start again.

So we went into this pub called the "Golden Dubloon," because that's where Hannah had supposedly worked. It stank of drink and sweat, and the owner kept yelling at everybody to calm down and drink their beer in peace. Garin smiled. "One of my favorite places in Neopia." Easy for him to say; as soon as he stepped on the docks, a crowd of fans started following him.

"But where's Hannah?" I asked in dismay. I saw a couple of barmaids going around and collecting glasses, but none of them had long, brown hair and purple eyes that Hannah had.

The music that was playing stopped when I said her name. The owner, a red, angry-looking Ruki, rolled his eyes. "Why're you looking for her?"

"Um, I need her to do something for me, I guess," I said. That was a mistake. A bunch of would-be adventurers scrambled up and begged me to give them a chance. I recoiled, kind of scared. Garin helpfully picked me up by the scruff of my collar— I was out of reach and humiliated.

"This is a job specifically for her," he said.

"Well, she's not here," the Ruki replied firmly. "And she's never coming back. I fired her a few weeks ago."

I would've started panicking when I was stopped by a laugh. Garin shook his head, grinning. "She'll come back. You know better than I do that this place is her home."

"An unwelcome home," the owner snapped.

"But a home nevertheless. And as we always say, home is where the heart is." He grabbed a pouch of neopoints from his pocket. "Here," he said, throwing it to the owner. "This should pay for food and boarding for this young one. I have to go."

"What?" I yelped.

"Don't worry," he assured me. "I know Hannah. She'll be back here in a week, tops. I wouldn't let anything happen to Jacques's student—he'd fry me for sure. And you've grown on me anyway." He smiled. "Neomail me any time you need help. Just make sure there's something in it for us next time, okay?"

Week 4

The door burst open, and the formerly empty bar was suddenly crowded. I craned my neck to see what was going on. From the very middle of the hub, a confident-looking Usul stood there. She had long brown hair and purple eyes, all right, but that wasn't what identified her. It was that mischievous smile on her face, one that definitely screamed adventure. She gave it to the red Ruki owner. "Did you miss me?"

"Hannah," he said, breathing hard. "I said that you were never to come back here—"

"Oh, shut your yapping," she said, rolling her eyes. "This is my home, and there's nothing you can do about it. Besides, you know I'm the only one who could bring some business to this shabby joint." She had a sharp voice, and what she said wasn't pretty; but it was obviously true. She was good.

"No," he said weakly. "Captain Garin came here just last week. Called it one of his favorite places, he did."

She rolled her eyes. "So now you depend on a pirate for publicity? How lovely. And for that notorious crook to be saying that he loves this place? I've known Garin to be sleeping in caves or even through storms. Even this place is Faerieland compared to what he's used to."

"And you?" He snarled. "What's keeping you here?"

She laughed. "Sentimental reasons," she said, patting an old, creaky armchair in the corner. "You remember that my grandpa use to own it. And he was the one who told me adventure stories, who gave me my first treasure map. You remind me of him, old coot. He frowned, wondering whether that it was a compliment or not. "Now, who wants to here about my latest adventure?"

I listened to her for hours. She was a good storyteller, actually, but like Marie said she was an exaggerator. Plus, she danced on tables. The adventure was awesome anyway. I don't think I'll ever get tired of listening to her. In fact, I didn't notice time flying by, and by the time she finished the roaring fire that warmed the room earlier now shrunk into a few faint embers.

I went up to her when everybody had already went to their room. Well, actually, she went up to me. She had a small grin on her face. "What are you doing here this late, sweetheart?"

"I, uh…"

"You a fan?" She said, smiling. "I can give you my autograph if you want. I'd give you another story too, if it wasn't so late."

"No thanks," I said slowly. "I'm here for something else."

She arched an eyebrow. "People do conduct some work here, I should know. But for a nine-year-old, that's kind of unusual, don't ya think?" I nodded reluctantly, but before I opened my mouth she continued, "I think I can guess who you are. Kanrik's apprentice, huh?"

My eyes widened. "How'd you know? Did Kanrik write anything?"

"He hasn't made contact with me for years," she said, a slight bitterness in her voice. "But it was fairly obvious from how you were acting. You're here for business, and the only business I know that's done this late this young could only be done by a thief. You're talented, by the way you crouched in the shadows like he did. And polite, also, waiting for my story to finish. Kanrik's trained you well. And now I guess you'll be asking for my help."

I bit my lip. "Yeah."

"Sorry, kid, but I'm out," she said, standing out.

"What?" I said, gob-smacked. "But you're Hannah the Brave! You'd never turn down an adventure."

"This is thief business," she said. "I try not to get mixed up on it. Every time I do, it's always worse for me. Even with Garin. Last time I did, I was cursed."

"Kanrik's your friend."

"He betrayed me."

"He's sorry."

"He doesn't act like it, ignoring me for such a long time. He could've been dead for all I knew. Or cared." There was a slight slip in her voice at the last sentence. She was lying. Was I as obvious as that?

"He saved you in the end," I said carefully.

She sighed. "Is that supposed to make me feel better? I hated being weak. Just get some other adventurer. There are tons around here waiting to get a chance."

"But I bet none of them are truth-speakers," I said.

"So you know about that, huh? It's easy. Just tell the truth and that's that."

"You know it isn't as easy as that. Truth-speakers tell the truth no matter what, plus their resistant to persuasiveness," I said, blocking her path to the hall. She scowled. "Judging by the way people talk about you, you're the best one."

At that, her frown softened slightly. "Well, I am pretty good. But I'm not the only one, you know. And it seems like you need more of my truth talent instead of my adventure."

"But you're the only one who could really affect Kanrik."

"Oh, the guy can handle himself," she said. "He's a leader too, and it'll take someone really strong to subdue him. Sorry, sweetheart, but I'm not convinced." She pushed me aside and entered her room quickly, slamming the door behind her.

"Wait!" I said, knocking against the wood. I was ignored, and sooner or later I knew that the owner would come and take me away. "It _is _someone powerful. Masila!"

The door instantly burst open, and I toppled inside. It was one of a normal room, with a small table, fireplace, and bed. Hannah's eyes were wide and shocked. "But…she's dead."

"She's not," I promised, trying to emphasize the two words.

Hannah sat on the bed and groaned. She buried her face in her hands. "This cannot be happening."

"You're the only one who could snap him out of it," I said.

She looked at me through her fingers and sighed. "I guess we do have another story for tonight. Tell me everything," she ordered, and I began with the day in the shop. She listened attentively to every single detail, asking thoughtful questions. But mostly she stayed quiet until I was done. "So you're out here without permission?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Typical thief," she muttered.

"So you'll help?"

She looked at me sadly. "I want to, kid. I really do. But I'm not sure if I can risk it."

"He's changed!" I said. "He doesn't betray people anymore. Really. And you know, it is kind of your fault that Masila's after him."

"My fault?" She gasped.

"Yeah," I said. "I think she did the whole thing because she's jealous of you, not that she wants to destroy the Thieves' Guild. It's common knowledge back home that he likes you, and you know Masila can't stand being second-best."

"Charmer," she said, rolling her eyes.

"So is that a yes?" I said.

"Maybe. I have to get some time to think about this. After all, I've already just finished my new adventure. But I'll give it a spin." She studied me. "You say he's changed, kid? We'll see. We'll see."

**Long again! Yay! :) So I've done my entry of the week early...hopefully I'll get another one out soon.  
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	32. August at Age 9

The Month of Hiding (August) Age 9

Week 1

"Here's the deal, kid," Hannah said. I sighed with relief—she was finally giving me her answer. She's been pacing back and forth all week, wondering what she was going to do with me. My funds from Garin had run out, so she forced the Ruki owner to board me for free. Still, that wasn't that wasn't the only thing that worried me. There's been no update from Kayley yet, which could be both a good or bad sign. Either way, I have no idea what's happening back home.

"What?" I asked eagerly.

"I have to be honest here: I don't trust you. For all I know, you could be working for Masila and trying to trap me." Before I could protest, she said, "But I don't trust a lot of my clients either, yet I give them my services anyway. Then again, none of them have asked for my help for free."

"Your point is?"

"My point is that you have to prove that you really are Kanrik's apprentice. That you won't stab me in the back the first time I turn it."

"And how am I supposed to do that?" I asked.

She gave me a cheeky smile. "You good with tests, sweetheart? I'll be giving you some for a few weeks. If you can convince me, I'll help."

"Hey, that's not fair!" I exclaimed. "Nobody at home knows where I am, and I have to get back fast! I can't just sit around here jotting stuff on paper."

"You should've thought of that before you ran away," she said matter-of-factly. "Besides, my tests aren't like that. They're much more…interesting."

"Interesting how?" I said suspiciously.

"How would you like a trip to the Pirate Caves?" She said it like it's something every kid would dream about, but honestly, I don't do creepy coves. And based on that gleam in her eye, it would probably be really dangerous. But I couldn't refuse, that was for sure. She's like the only chance the Thieves' Guild has for surviving.

But you'd think that an explorer would take a few hours, tops, to get ready for somewhere she'd been in thousands of times. But nooo, Hannah needed another week. I wondered if Kanrik had to wait such a long time when he asked for her help ages ago. I'm willing to bet that he was as bored as I am. But I guess she had a reason, which she showed me today when I complained.

"Kid, do you know how many things I need just in case something goes wrong?" She snapped. "At night-time, it gets freezing cold, so I gotta bring my coat, boots, and all that. And by day, it's stiflingly hot."

"It's not that bad," I said dismissively.

She snorted. "Little know-it-all, aren't you? Take off your jacket."

"What? I never take off my jacket!" I said.

"That explains it," she said. Quick as a flash, she had it off me. And somehow, though it didn't make sense, the temperature became boiling. I could barely breathe. Grabbing my jacket back and putting it on, the fabric suddenly caused me to feel cooler.

"Woah."

"It's magic," Hannah explained. "I realized that on the trip to the Ice Caves with Kanrik. He didn't even need to wear a coat. In those days, the style was a hood, and all who wore it never felt too hot or too cold. Now it's jackets." She shook her head. "You thieves hate guards so much, but that's where you got the idea from, ya know? The highest, upper class guards had armor that's weather resistant, and an old copycat guild leader decided to make it available for all thieves. You could learn from your enemies."

"Hey," I said. "I don't hate guards."

"Of course you don't," she said sarcastically. "Is that supposed to win me over? I haven't met one of you that don't have a grudge on the guards."

"No, seriously," I said. "I have a friend who's one."

"What? Now I know you're joking. As if Kanrik would ever allow that."

"It did give me an awful lot of trouble at first," I admitted. "But it was okay in the end—and it was really worth it."

She raised her eyebrows. "And how did you get Kanrik to agree?"

"Um…" I didn't want to tell her that I agreed to spy on Brynn. I'm still not sure with that part myself. When I thought about it, it made me feel really guilty; as if I was lying to two people that trusted me. It's kind of like I postponed a decision; one day, I'd probably have to choose her or the Guild. But I wasn't ready to face that yet…I have too many problems.

Hannah must have seen my confused face, because she said, "It's okay. We'll save that story for better times, alright?"

"Thanks," I said, relieved. But after a few more minutes of her folding clothes, I was back in a bored stupor again.

Week 2

That went well.

We had to hike for a day to reach a summit. Even with my jacket I was sweating; and the annoying little petpetpets who bit me and made me itch didn't help. Loads of times, I was tempted to turn back. But Hannah had her eyes on me the whole time, and I had a feeling that persistence was a part of her test. Besides, she told me that Kanrik did the same thing in the Lost Desert. If he could do it, I was pretty sure I could too.

Until we actually went in. It was scary there. I'm not usually afraid of the dark, but it was pitch black and I couldn't see one foot in front of me. Hannah, though, skipped in as though it was her second home and grabbed a fiery torch in the corner. She smiled when she saw me hesitate. "You coming, kid? Don't worry, you could still back out."

Then I'd fail the test. I just shook my head without speaking and moved on. Since I couldn't see in the dark, I tripped. She looked at me with new respect, and helpfully stayed in front of me so I wouldn't fall again. Or maybe so that she can avoid the burning glares I've been giving her because she didn't warn me about the slickness.

We traveled deeper and deeper, and I was getting bored. "So, this is where explorers go? I think being a thief is more exciting."

"Just wait and see, sweetheart," she said, grinning. She had a surprise for me, I knew. Then the zombies came.

Okay, you would freak out too if a bunch of undead creatures came at you with a stick. They were all grey and crumbling, and some had eyes missing. Worse, they all had hideous grins, as if I was I was going to give them my brains as a present. I recoiled and hid behind Hannah, but she just brushed them aside with the torch. "Shoo! Shoo! Back where you came from!" The zombies whimpered and flew back.

I couldn't believe it was that easy. I had a feeling that loads of explorers could have gone inside, but only Hannah had been brave enough to stick around when those guys showed up. But it didn't matter. "I failed, didn't I? Was that the test?"

She looked at me in surprise. "Of course not. That was my first reaction, too. And besides, even if it was a test you would have passed, anyway. The most I could hope for is that you wouldn't bolt for the exit. And it was very amusing, anyway."

"Ha ha," I grumbled. "You could've warned me."

"I could have," she agreed. "But look on the bright side. Now there are only the traps to dodge."

"Traps?"

"There are automatic ones," she said. "And there are the ones you have to step on. Be sure to avoid the latter, and watch your step."

"In the dark?"

"Yep."

"Gee, thanks," I said. "Is that all?"

"Avoid getting cursed," she said as an afterthought. I rolled my eyes. "Oh, here we are," she announced, stopping. "This is a series of traps, and you have to be really fast to escape them."

"How do you know?"

"It's kind of obvious, if you know where to look," she said, pointing to the ceiling. I gasped. There were cave drawings of stick neopets getting speared, twisted, gored, burnt, sliced into tiny pieces, and just plain dying painfully. "You'd be surprised how little anyone glimpses upwards."

"Uh, yeah," I said.

"Stand back," she told me. Then she ran straight into the traps. If there's one thing I have to say about Hannah, it's that she has guts; she did this in a blink of an eye. And none of the weapons could get to her. But one thing bothered me, though; the trail of traps led her farther and farther away from me. She had the torch. If she got too far, then I'd be left with complete darkness.

I was forced to watch as the speck of light grew smaller and smaller. I guess the trail was really long; or at least seemed to be, from what I could see. But finally, it stopped. I was glad, because it was really dim. Then I heard a sound. It was yelling—not the scared kind, it was the I-want-to-tell-you-something-but-I'm-really-far-away kind. "What?" I shouted. Then suddenly, the speck of light started moving again, farther and farther away. I was pretty sure that it was the end of the traps; Hannah was leaving without me. "Hannah!" I screamed. "Hannah!" But she had already disappeared.

I tried not to panic. Was this part of the test; don't freak out and stay calm? Or was it don't die? I couldn't stay here. It was horrible, and it felt like the walls were closing in on me. Then a thought struck me. Was she actually expecting me to go to the other side without light? It looked like it. Sweet Fyora, I was going to die.

_Suck it up, stupid, _I heard a voice in my head. To my shock, I realized it was Kayley's. Though it wasn't real, it sounded a lot like it. Great, I was going to die _and _get berated for it. _Idiot! Stop thinking you're going to die. That's the first step to when things go wrong. I so didn't let you take my place for nothing!_

As crazy as that sounded, my conscience was right (I figured that's what it was). I tried to remember all my training. If I'm ever in the dark and light wasn't an option, I had to rely on my other senses; smelling, hearing, feeling, tasting, and the weird sixth one that I had whenever Mom was serving asparagus for dinner. I charged.

The first thing I heard was panging—Jacques taught me that was the sound of something being launched. I ducked, and felt something whoosh above my head. Instantly, something slithery tried to strangle me. I did my first stupid reaction: I bit it. I can tell you, it tasted gross. It squealed and ran, and I realized that it could be my ticket out of here: it knew how things worked. I managed to follow it by smelling its foul scent and crawling (it was much safer that way). Then I got stopped by a pit, where I nearly fell to my death. That wasn't a problem. I crept towards the walls and climbed against it, trying to ignoring the snapping jaws of whatever it was below.

There was a lot more traps, but that's all I could remember. It was like a madhouse, a never-ending nightmare, and I knew I needed to get out as soon as possible. Then the darkness changed to dimness. I saw a light in front of me, and I quickly ran to it, panting. Hannah was there—she had a shocked expression on her face. "Why'd you leave me?" I demanded.

She stared at me. "I said that I was going to turn off the traps. Didn't you hear me? When I got there, I was unable to because it seemed that _somebody _was still using it."

"So I did all of that for nothing?" I asked in disbelief.

"Not for nothing," she said. "That was…impressive. You have treasure-hunting material in you, kid." That made me feel a little better. She gave me a small smile. "Look, there's no more problems from here to there. That was probably pretty traumatic, so we'll slow down a bit, okay?" I wasn't going to complain, and like she said, we got there without a hitch. And besides, "there" surprised me.

It was a treasure cave. Golden neopoints and dubloons lined the entrance, along with precious metals and jewelry. Crystals were even growing off of walls! It was a thief's paradise, and I had the sudden urge to stuff everything I could in my pockets. But I felt Hannah's burning eyes against me. So, this was the test. "Let's walk to the end of the cave, shall we?" She said. I knew I wasn't supposed to nick anything.

It was harder than I thought. I mean, this was enough gold to make even Queen Fyora look poor. Just one would secure me for the rest of my life. And suddenly, I'm angry at Hannah. Why hasn't she given anyone this? There was a lot of poor people who could use it in Brightvale, and I bet there were loads more in Krawk Island. Judging from the way she looked, she didn't even use it. What was wrong with her? Besides, those coins were _so _shiny….

I restrained myself. If I wanted the Guild to live, I couldn't take even a single penny. I stared straight ahead, trying not to goggle at anything. Finally, we reached the end. Hannah breathed out and smiled. "Again, I'm impressed. It's not everyday a thief could do that—walk through a whole hall without stealing anything."

"How do you know I didn't? I could have whipped something down my pocket without you noticing."

"Because that treasure's cursed," she answered. I gawked at her. "It's true! If you had taken even one thing you'd be covered with rashes for as long as you kept it. Believe me, I tried." She scratched her arm subconsciously, as if recalling a distant memory. "I would've given it to charity, but I didn't want homeless kids to be scratching themselves blind."

"Oh," I said. "I thought you were just being greedy."

"Back at you, kid," she said. "I guess some things did change in the Thieves' Guild. Kanrik left me on a ledge to die while getting this enchanted coffin."

"He's the one who thought us not to abandon each other." It was true. Ever so often he'd come to the classroom and give a long lecture on how you shouldn't stab each other on the back. Usually I'd resist any kind of rules, but that one was okay (besides, if I did I'd have to listen to another one of his lectures again). "Can we go now?" I said, changing the subject. "This cave gives me the creeps."

"And here I thought you'd be a good treasure-hunter," she said, laughing. "Okay, hon, if you'll just step this way-"

I stepped onto a trap. Hannah paled suddenly. She grabbed my hand and started running. At first I didn't know what for; then I saw that rocks were falling right behind us. We sped up, us racing to the exit. Then this gigantic, circular stone landed in front of that, and it started rolling towards us. We had to run again, this time in the opposite direction. But there was no way we could outrun it.

Then I glimpsed at a nearby nook at the end of the passage. I could definitely get there myself, but I wasn't sure I could with Hannah. Well, I had to. Taking the lead this time (to her surprise) I pulled us both to the nook. The rock closed us in, trapping us.

There was only silence for awhile. And then Hannah exhaled—and started giggling. That giggling turned to full-blown guffaws, and suddenly she was laughing her head off. "What's so funny?" I said.

"Nothing, really," she said, wiping a tear from her eye. "But there're sometimes when you just have to laugh, you know."

"Like being trapped in a cave?"

"Especially when you're trapped in a cave," she said. "And besides, at least we're alive, right?"

"Well, yeah," I said. "But for how long?"

"Relax," she said breezily. "I brought loads of food." And then suddenly, I had that tingling sixth sense; she pulled out asparagus. That's how I knew we had to get out of there as soon as possible.

Week 3

The nook led to another cave, one that Hannah didn't explore yet. We'd been going around it for days, trying to find an exit, and living nothing but asparagus. It was torture. Guard cells, I could cope with. I knew that there was always, always a way to escape. But this is nature's design, and suddenly I'm not so sure. I hated feeling trapped.

Hannah did, too. Besides that she blamed herself for having brought me here: I was just a kid, and I couldn't have been expected to handle this sort of pressure. Then I pointed out that I hadn't been expected to run away on my teacher's best friend's boat and try some last-ditch scheme to save the Guild. She shut up then.

But neither of us could deny that we were slowly dying. Our food supplies were running out, and we had to ration it. Each day we woke up in darkness; and night was whenever we felt like we couldn't take another step. I was also worried for a different reason: there was no moonlight in there. I couldn't contact Kayley or receive any of her messages.

On one of our long walks, I slipped. I thought I'd fall to my doom for sure, but Hannah quickly grabbed my hand. "Be careful, Hanso," she warned. One good thing was that she finally started using my name. "Kanrik himself nearly toppled over once."

Just for the sake of something to talk, I said, "How did I slip? I was fine a few seconds ago."

I was expecting that she'd say I was tired, or it was dark, or something. Anyway, they all true. So she surprised me by saying, "You probably slipped on some moss. It's pretty common around these caves."

_Moss. _A different voice popped in my head: Caylis's. _Where there's moss, there's water. Where there's water, there's a way. _A way out, did she mean? I knew there was an underwater river or something here somewhere. I'd been hearing the rushing sound for a few days, but Hannah had this magic refilling water-bottle, so we never had to go there. Suddenly, I began to go towards the noise.

"Hanso!" Hannah shouted. "What in Neopia are you doing?"

I ignored her and kept running, right to the river's mouth. I should've known. Water had to get out somewhere, right? "Hey, Hannah! I just found our escape route."

"What? Where?" She asked. I pointed to the river's mouth.

"If we swim long enough, I'm pretty sure the current will push us out of here."

"But for how long?" She said doubtfully. "It could be hours, and the maximum I can hold my breath is ten minutes. And how about you?"

"Oh." I wracked my brain, but all I could do was sigh. "I guess we'll just have to try. This is probably the only way out we're going to find."

"We could keep looking," she suggested weakly. We both shook our heads at the same time. Neither of us could take much more of this; even her, who'd practically lived in caves her whole life. "On the count of three, then? One, two, three!" We jumped.

At first I thought I'd killed us. We floundered helplessly, as the current propelled us forwards towards the river mouth. I narrowly missed some very pointy rocks. My lungs burned for air. In fact, the only thing that probably kept me from panicking was that Hannah was still gripping my hand tightly. Then a dim light appeared above us, and suddenly we found ourselves spiraling out via waterfall.

I broke surface first, and then her. I flailed a little- I never did get over that river incident- but Hannah grabbed me and swam me to the nearest dock. She smiled. "Good job, kid. And you didn't even leave me to die on a ledge!" We both laughed, a little hysterically.

That night, as Hannah was telling her new cave-in story, I crept outside to catch some moonbeams. The rock showed me Kayley instantly. "Where were you?" She cried. "I've been beeping for three whole nights straight!"

Before I could answer, I saw Hannah step outside. She saw the rock, but she was far from Kayley's vantage point. Apparently, she heard what Kayley said, and made shushing motions at me. I wondered why, but I said, "Um, I kind of got a little side-tracked."

"A little side-tracked? Where were you? Where _are _you?"

Hannah made shushing motions again. "Um…I can't really say right now. I'll tell you when I get back, okay?"

Kayley narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but didn't press. "Okay, I've had some news. There's been another brawl—but it wasn't started by thieves," she said quickly. "Not exactly. Remember your old friend, Ebony?"

I winced. "Yeah."

"We took the kids to the park today. I took Timmy," she added. "I figured that since it's been awhile, they'd leave us alone. But I was wrong. They had weapons: real weapons. None of us older kids didn't know how to react, and by the time we did, the pipsqueaks have run out to the square with the rich group chasing after them."

"What happened then?" I asked.

"That's guard territory, Hanso," she reminded me. "I was pretty sure that they'd catch us pretty quickly if we stepped out there."

"So you left them alone?" I cried.

"No! I'm not that heartless," she said. "We called their parents and Kanrik, and soon they were there fighting them off. Charlie, by the way, was away on a family visit, and Hazel was locked in the shed by her brother. And no, I did not rescue her. Bad enough that I had to look after thieves' children, I wasn't about to look after a bunch of rich kids too."  
>..<p>

"And I bet Ebony got off the hook again," I said bitterly.

"Actually, no," she said. "He got caught and sent to jail."

"Who caught him?" I questioned.

She rolled her eyes. "Do you even have to ask?"

"Brynn?"

"Duh. And her friend, that Viola girl, too. Apparently she had no qualms about arresting her own brother. She's tougher than I thought. Anyway, the kids were fine and we left when their parents were comforting them. Kanrik had a word with Brynn before he left, to keep up that whole spy thing since you aren't here." She looked worried. "Hanso, you have to come back soon whether you failed or not. I think he's going to do something rash soon. Like attack Masila's home base."

"What? He found it?"

"They practically shoved the locations in our faces, wanting us to find them."

"So what's so wrong about attacking it?"

She shook her head. "It's bad, Hanso. They outnumber us ten to one, and the Guild can't survive another war anyway. We're still recovering from the one with Kanrik against Galem ages ago. Most thieves there are the ones Kanrik thought he could trust. He's getting a bit panicky now, you know. Get back soon, okay?"

"Okay," I promised. She zapped out.

"So it really is bad," Hannah murmured.

"Yeah," I said. "Kanrik needs help."

For a moment, she stared at her toes. Then she looked up, and there was a fiery determination in her face. "I'll do it."

Week 4

We went to the harbor this morning and found out that the next ship to Brightvale left later that day. I was so nervous I didn't mind sitting in the docks to wait for it, but Hannah insisted we go around. "You've only seen that shoddy old inn," she said, smiling. "The locals definitely won't want you to get the impression that Krawk Island's all like that."

And I had to admit, it was pretty cool, though it was kind of different from what I was used to. Though Brightvale's square was like the heart of the kingdom, was still that constant shush from scholars who were studying outside. Here shopkeepers were yelling out what goods they were selling, and it was all just a flurry of bright colors instead of green. Kids were laughing and chasing each other on the streets. The only thing I didn't like was the strong smell of Koi.

"Nice, huh?" Hannah said fondly. "Oh look, there's the Smuggler's Cove, the supposedly 'secret' hideout of the pirates. Seriously, they can't get more obvious. But don't underestimate them. Once I tried going inside just for fun- it was a cave, after all- and only with Garin's help I managed to get out again. Most of them are worse than zombies, I can tell you that."

"Cool," I agreed.

"Pirate flags!" Somebody screamed, holding a tiny one up. "Get your pirate flags over here, made from the fabric of the _Twisted Mermaid, Golden Dubloon _and _Big King Kelpbeard_!" A little kid was playing with his and waving it like crazy.

"You can't honestly want one!" Hannah said, looking at where I was staring.

"I don't," I said. "But there's this little kid I take care of- Timmy- I bet he'd love one. Nearly went mad when I gave him a teddy." Then I had an idea. I grinned. "Wanna see how well I can steal?" Before she can stop me, I snatched one and put it in my pocket.

The shopkeeper didn't even turn around.

"Huh. That was actually good," she commented. "I can see why Kanrik chose you as an apprentice. Good thief, good loyalty, good sense of truth, good heart." She bit her lip, suddenly looking guilty. "Look, kid, I think I owe you an apology. It was wrong of me to put you in danger by leading you in that cave."

"Don't worry about it," I replied. "I've faced worse. And I'm in danger 24/7."

"But it was still wrong," she said. "And I think you should know the reason. I told you that Kanrik betrayed me before, right? He left me to die with a cursed tattoo. Wait, that came out wrong. I mean, he left me with a cursed tattoo to die." She lifted her sleeve up, showing me the marking the shape of a red eye. I had this weird feeling that it was watching me. "I just didn't wan t that to happen again, you know?"

"I know," I said.

"But you saved me life in there, and I'm not letting that debt go underpaid. And the last time I saw Kanrik, we parted on good terms anyway. So I'm going to do anything and everything I can to help—but you'll have to trust me when I say I know what I'm doing."

"Okay," I said.

"Point is," she flinched as she said this, "I'm not coming with you to Brightvale."

"What!" I cried. "But after I did all that-"

"I'll come eventually, kid," she said. "There's no doubt about it. But staying put for awhile would be best for…a plan that I have in mind. And I have a job for you, too: Don't tell anyone about this."

"About what?" I asked blankly.

"How you traveled to Krawk Island," she answered. "How you met me. The cave, the test, everything: keep mum about it, even to that friend of yours in the necklace. Okay?"

"But-"

"Okay?" She said more firmly.

I sighed disgustedly, but nodded. "Fine. But how will you know where the Thieves' Guild is? Where will you stay when you get there?"

"Let's just say…I have a few fans in Brightvale, too. I'm pretty sure they'll be more than happy to let me stay. And as for the location, well, I'll figure it out. I promise."

The ship's horn blew, and I had to go. I insulted myself in my head. I should have figured it out when Hannah wasn't bringing any clothes. "Bye, Hannah," I said morosely.

"Bye, kid," she said, giving me a last hug. "There's a saying that pirates have: Fair winds until we meet again."

"When will that be?" I asked. I thought about that poem that Jacques used as a code. That must have been what he was feeling: kind of a finality, a good-bye. I really hate good-byes. I especially hated it when I remembered the poem's last verse:

_Ope,—for endless bliss, or pain;_

_Then, shall we all meet again._

But all Hannah said was, "Soon."


	33. September at Ages 9 and 10

The Month of Gathering (September) Ages 9 and 10

Week 1

We made it to Brightvale in record time. Even though the ship was smaller and slower than Garin's, it had a deadline to make, and you'd be surprised how fast a boat can go when it wasn't stopping every other minute to pillage a wedding. The crew mostly ignored me, which was fine. But I kind of missed Garin's crew, too. As soon as Garin let me in and said that I knew about Jacques, they welcomed me with open arms. There was this cook from Mystery Island whom always gave me extra pancakes for breakfast, even when Garin told him not to. A guy who worked the tiller once let me steer (and grabbed it back right before we crashed into a pile of rocks). Even the engine people, who worked in the boiler room all day, took some marshmallows and roasted it over the fire with me. Then there was Garin himself, who had some of the most amazing stories ever. Most of them were about him and Jacques- he still missed him a lot, he told me, even though it's been six years. Master Jacques was crazy not to stay. Personally, I wouldn't mind it myself, though I'd never get used to being seasick.

There was another thing I was thinking about. Master Jacques said that Caylis had prophecy powers, and she proved that by telling me about the moss. But what did that have to do with Jacques teaching us? And why didn't she tell me that I was going to get through the traps even when Hannah was disarming them and all that jazz so that I could've escaped sooner? I was thinking about that when we spotted the Brightvale harbour looming in. In just a few minutes, I was going back. Suddenly, I felt kind of scared, like butterflies in my stomach and stuff. Garin said that if I was ever seasick I was never ever to vomit on his fine lady of a ship and must dunk it out in the ocean; and I kind of got used to that rule already. So I rushed to the edge of the deck. But what I saw made me yelp in surprise and forget all about barfing.

Caylis was there, swimming gracefully across the water. She was just lazing around, it looked like. She had a peaceful expression on her face—for a moment, she looked pretty. I would say even beautiful. Then that darkness crowded her face again when she woke up to full consciousness. "Hanso," she said. "I knew you'd come to the ledge eventually."

"Of course you did," I replied. "You know everything."

She shook her head. "Not everything. I know that you're probably wondering how I can see the future: most people do, after I say their fortune. I can't really explain. It's a gift, some would say, though in my opinion it's a curse." She frowned, like it was my fault. "I see things, flashes about the future. And not just anything. Horrible things that are inevitable. Kelpbeard and the people of Maraqua love my sister because she has the power of prediction—she sees things that can still be thwarted, though sometimes not entirely accurate."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"She once predicted that Garin would be killed unless he left his life as a pirate. As you already saw, he's alive and as flippant as ever. He saved Maraqua. But what I see is inevitable."

"So? They shouldn't blame you for that," I said.

"They shouldn't," Caylis agreed. "The first time I had a nightmare, I saw the coral mine collapse. King Kelpbeard thought that I had Prediction, too, so he ordered everyone to prepare for it. But after a few weeks, there was no collapse. The King accused me of wasting everyone's time and ordered a large amount of workers to labor double time. When the first of them picked a piece of Maracite, the whole thing fell over because some lazy builder forgot to finish the part they were supposed to repair. I was blamed for asking the repairs in the first place. Then I said something about the Drenched kidnapping a bunch of kids. I warned their parents, and they took extra precautions and gave them bodyguards. The Drenched overcame them anyway. It's always like that…"

"Wow," I said. This lady was gloomier than even Kayley. "I'm sorry. But wait—what you saw, me and Hannah escaping—that was a good thing, wasn't it?"

"I didn't see you and Hannah escaping," she said. "I saw you and Hannah getting trapped. I didn't know the outcome, whether you would get out or not, but caves like that are familiar to me and I gave you a clue on how to get out. If I told you exactly how to escape, the trap still would have still happened, though this time my answers would be invalid."

"That would suck," I said. "So what happened with Master Jacques? Did you, like, prophecize him in our class or something?"

"That is not the point," she snapped. "I just need you how to understand how it worked, if you ever heard gossip about me from some people. I can't tell you Jacques's destiny anyway. Just your own. And I've come to warn you about something."

"What?"

She opened her mouth and closed it. "How do I tell you this?" she wondered out loud. "Hm…I don't know why, but for some reason you would take blame upon yourself when it is not necessary. I can't offer you advice on this one, since I have a feeling you have your own reasons for acting the way you did…um, will do. I'm just asking you to consider if it's worth it." With that, she splashed back to the watery depths.

I didn't get what she meant at first, but I figured I'd understand with time. I was right. When I went to the docks, I hopped off as fast as I could and went to the Guild Headquarters. I would have gone home—honestly, I wanted my parents to know I was all right more than Kanrik—but I knew they were at work, and I needed to tell _someone _I got home. So I went to the classroom.

I've done this like three times before, and each time everyone sitting inside was in some state of shock. Now they were really hysterical. Jacques couldn't control them, and didn't try to- he was looking at a couple of maps of Brightvale, and muttering, "Where in Neopia could he have gone?"

Julius and Juliet were trying types of candy to help; including the memory enhancer, to see if they could remember anything I said that could reveal my location. Razor was poring through books. Only Kayley was calm, though she was fingering her obsidian necklace anxiously and looking at the window, as if waiting for nightfall.

"Uh...hi?" I said. Everyone whirled around. Their jaws dropped, and for a few minutes they only stared at me.

"Hanso!" the twins cried, and suddenly the whole room erupted into noise. They reached me first and grappled me in a big hug.

"What happened?" Julius asked. "Where'd you go?"

"Doesn't matter right now," said Juliet, scrutinizing me up and down. "You look terrible! Here." She took a piece of candy from her pocket- a mood booster- and handed it to me.

"No, it's okay," I said, trying to give it back. The candy appeared nice, but I didn't want to know what happened during a sugar rush.

"Okay?" Master Jacques exclaimed, stepping up. "Okay? You've been gone for over two months! The Guild's been crazy. And Kanrik…" His eyes widened. "You five," he ordered, "Behave while I get the guild leader."

"Are you all right, Hanso?" Razor questioned. I was about to answer when he turned to Juliet. "Is he all right? We all know that he's going to lie."

"Hey!" I said.

"He's all right," Juliet replied. She smiled. "Unfortunately, there aren't any medications that you need to fix, Doctor Razor."

"You should've seen what he did before last month!" Julius said, seeing I was a bit lost. "We had challenges from our mentors just for fun and he mixed thirty different types of potions in one minute like it was nothing."

I grinned at him. "Knew you had it in you."

"Yes, yes, it was very good," Kayley interrupted, standing up. "Can I please have a word with Hanso? _Alone_?" Everyone burst into protest, but she pushed them out the door anyway and locked it. "Now," she said, crossing her arms. "Where have you been?"

I was about to tell her. I actually couldn't wait to pour everything out, maybe exaggerate a bit here and there…then realized I couldn't. Hannah said that I couldn't tell _anyone _what happened. But how couldn't I? I mean, she's the one who sent me on and believed I could do it in the first place. I wanted to say she was right. But instead, I said, "I can't."

She raised her eyebrows. "Can't what?"

"Can't tell you," I mumbled.

"What?" She gaped at me with a dumbstruck expression. Then it turned angry (typical Kayley reaction). "Why not?"

"I just can't, okay?" I said, feeling horrible.

"But I knew where you were!" she exclaimed. "You went with Garin to Krawk Island…right?"

"Like I said, I can't tell you now."

"So you went somewhere else?" she cried. "Without telling me?"

"It was me who was risking my life out there," I snapped. "And I didn't say anything."

"Sure as Neopia you didn't. Start talking!" she ordered.

"No," I stated defiantly. I frowned at her, but inside I was desperate to tell her everything.

She glared at me. "Are you trying to play hero or something? You want all the glory in the end by keeping everyone in the dark, with a big surprise victory? Is that it?"

"No!" I said.

"'Cause it sure seems so," she continued. "And you've got to know, I'm not allowing it."

"It doesn't have anything to do with fame!"

"Then why won't you tell me?"

"It's complicated," I said, looking away.

"And you think I'm too stupid not to get it?"

"No!"

"Then tell me."

"I can't."

"Ugh!" She threw up her arms. Her eyes turned to slits, and she was staring daggers at me. Scary Kayley. "Then I'll tell Kanrik the last time I saw you, and what you were doing."

"No!" I yelled, but she was already half-way to the door. "Kayley, wait! You'll be dooming the whole Guild if you do!"

She froze. "What?"

"Look, I might not be able to explain now, but I really think that not telling is our last shot," I said. "I…well, at least someone…has a plan."

"No offense, Hanso, but you're not very good at making up plans."

"You can't do any better."

She gritted her teeth, but sighed. "True. We work best when we work _together. _Which is why I think you should let me into this little plan."

"I can't."

"Then I'll tell!" she threatened.

"And doom the whole Guild?" I countered. "Sorry, Kayley, but this seriously is our last chance. If Ha…I mean, if it fails, then I don't think we can keep our Guild together. Honestly, with Masila already hating us, I doubt that we'd even survive. Not to mention the twins, Razor, Master Jacques, the little kids…including Timmy. And who's your kid again? Lilia? Her life would be turned upside-down without her knowing why." I looked her straight in the eye. "We'd all die, and it'd be _your fault._"

For a second, she looked panicked. Not just disturbed, like I meant her to be, or annoyed. Panicked _panicked. _Her eyes got all wide and she paled, appearing absolutely terrified. Fear flooded her face. In fact, the only time I could compare this with was when she froze on Charlie's roof. I immediately regretted what I said—but still meant it. "You really think so?" she muttered.

"Yeah," I said.

She took a deep breath, but she looked determined again. "Fine," she said. But before I got to celebrate, she added, "But Hanso, if this doesn't work, then you're right: we're all going to get killed. And if that happens, it wouldn't be _my_ fault." I gulped. "Oh, and you can be sure you'll be paying for every single moment I keep silent."

"What? How much are we talking about here?"

"You'll see," she said.

There was a knock on the door. "Hanso?" Jacques called. "What's going on in there? I heard raised voices."

"Nothing!" Kayley and I answered.

"Well, then, get out. Kanrik wants to see you now."

"Good luck keeping anything from the guild leader," Kayley said, opening the door. She had a vengeful smile on her face that could only mean trouble…and that she had a plan to cause it. I was worried. The last time I saw her smile like that, she'd told Harry about Brynn's necklace.

Jacques escorted me to the office, even though he knew I've been there thousands of times before. It was like he didn't want me to escape again. All the while, he had this troubled expression. "Hanso?"

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Exactly where did you go? You couldn't have been in Brightvale or somebody would've found you a long time ago."

"Oh…here and there."

He frowned—but we had already reached the office, so he didn't press. He knocked, and when Kanrik's voice said "Come in" he watched carefully as I went inside. It looked like the Guild wasn't taking any chances from now on.

I gasped as I entered the room. It was a mess. The wall was covered with masses and masses of reports and thief listings—a lot of stuff was crossed out. There were various weapons on the floor, something Kanrik would never allow if he had time to clean them up. In fact, I thought I saw a bit of blood on them. Chairs were overturned, as if there had been fights, and all that was left of the former furniture were ruins.

But the thing that really, really shocked me was Kanrik himself. There had been times before when I saw him absolutely exhausted…but now he just looked plain crazy, as if he hadn't slept in a hundred years. His eyes were bloodshot and seemed to be staring at something nobody else could see, and he was shaking slightly. But for one moment, his tense features relaxed when he saw me. "Oh good," he muttered. "You're safe." Before I could say anything, he took three large strides and went over to me. "Who took you?" he said, looking at me in the eye. "Was it Masila? She's been denying it, the traitor, trying to torment me and keep me guessing. If it was her, we'd get enough evidence to make an attack. She did do it, right? Of course she did. Nobody else could've…"

He was scaring me. He kind of talked like the twins when they were on a sugar rush, except they didn't have a demented gleam in their eyes. I coughed. "Um….she didn't take me."

"What?" Kanrik gaped. "Then who? Who?"

"No one," I said slowly.

For a few minutes, there was just complete and utter silence. Kanrik stared at me, probably thinking I was nuts. I stared at my toes, cursing Hannah in my head. Why did I have to keep silent about this?

"So you mean to say," Kanrik said softly, "that you've been hiding out all this time by your own free will?"

I flinched, like the words cut me. "Yeah…"

Kanrik sat down. He appeared like he was about to faint. "Do…..do you know….do you have any idea how much damage you caused?" His voice was barely louder than a whisper. I liked the yelling Kanrik more. "There have been _riots _about you. Many people could've been killed. And now it turns out you were just…why?"

"Why what?" I said, stalling for time.

"Why were you gone for two months?" he snapped. "Without a note, without any clue on to where you've gone, you leave the whole Guild to scurry around Brightvale and beyond looking for you. I was about to send some messengers to go overseas." I guess it was good that I got back today, or someone might've found out that I had been to Krawk Island.

"I had stuff to do."

He glared at me sharply. "What kind of _stuff_?"

I winced. "Kanrik…I'd really like to say…but I can't."

"So you _have _been taken to Masila!" he exclaimed. "Hanso, if you're worried about her finding out, then I promise that she won't be able to look at you let alone touch you from now on."

"No. It really wasn't Masila. But besides that, I can't say anything."

He goggled at me. "You expect me to believe that you'd just been running around for two months?"

"No," I said. "But don't ask me any more questions."

"And why not?" he said in a dangerous voice.

"Because I'd hate to lie to you."

"Then tell the truth!" he thundered.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "But no. And you can't make me."

Something in Kanrik's eyes shifted. I didn't know what—but it was as if his opinion of me dropped, because his gaze turned condescending and angry. "You know I can't let that go unpunished. Withholding important information just can't happen."

I bit my lip, expecting this. "Okay."

"You are not to go anywhere you're not supposed to be, and you're certainly not allowed to go unaccompanied. In field trips, Miss Kayley will watch you." I stayed silent. "Oh, and you're not allowed to talk to Miss Brynneth."

"WHAT?" I burst out. "But you said I could! It would be useful-"

"The only reason I agreed is because I trusted you not to betray us to the enemy," he snarled.

"But I wouldn't do that," I protested, but he avoided my eyes. Then I realized what he was thinking. "Wait a minute. You don't think…_I _am the spy?"

"It would be perfect," he murmured. "Something that Masila would cook up gladly. You had a strong alibi by 'saving' me in that first meeting and appearing to hate her, too. You knew information that others didn't. You have many connections to both upper and lower classes. You know Marie."

"But that doesn't mean I was spying!" I protested. "Look, I broke you outta jail-"

"Another defense," Kanrik stated.

"I'm nine years old, for crying out loud! Why would she trust me?"

"You're technically my apprentice."

"I…I…" I sighed. "Fine, I do look pretty guilty. But I'm like the most loyal thief in the Thieves' Guild. I'm not saying that I look up to you or anything, but I would do _anything _to keep you and the Guild safe. You have to believe me!"

"I don't have to do anything, Hanso. I'm the guild-master, and no one orders me."

"I bet that's what Galem said," I muttered.

But I'd gone too far. "OUT!" he cried, pointing to the door. "I am nothing like that slimy piece of filth, and don't you dare ever compare me to him again!"

I trudged out with a long face. But before I did, I turned back once more. "I'm sorry."

Kanrik frowned at me, but nodded.

The rest of the week was a nightmare, with people almost having identical reactions as Kanrik. They all thought I was a spy. Dad and I had a shouting match about where I was, too, but what astounded me a lot was how Mom did. She didn't seem to mind at all. She just asked why I went. "I…I kind of went to get help," I admitted, but I wouldn't say anything else. For some reason, she didn't need anything else. Though I was grateful for that, I asked why.

"Why?" she said, blinking. "Oh. It was the thought that you ran away because of _me _was the thing that was unbearable—not the running away part itse;f." But then she grabbed me by the shoulders. "Never run away without my permission again. Do you hear me?"

"Okay, Mom," I promised.

"Good."

Week 2

Everyone's been treating me differently after they heard about my little encounter with Kanrik. Nort finally stopped pestering Kayley, and turned to me instead. But unlike with her, he threw insults, not compliments. "You're working to bring the Thieves' Guild down from the inside," he said in disgust. "What kind of person would do that?"

"Shut your face," I said. I finally understood Caylis's foretelling, when she said that I'd take blame upon myself without me needing to; except that I did need to—I had to keep quiet for the Guild. I guess I could tell the truth, but that would just kill us all. At least that's what Hannah said.

What astonished me was Timmy. He's like three years old—I had been betting that he didn't care about the spy thing. The other little kids definitely didn't. But he was taking it harder than Nort: he won't even look at me. And when he does accidentally, he always glares and turns away.

"Hey, buddy," I said when I saw him this week with the other thieves.

"Not buddy," he muttered.

"Oh, okay. You like your original name, don't you? That's all right. Razor's the same." He didn't answer. "Want to go to Charlie's cousin's house? We haven't been there in ages."

Razor and his kid wanted to come to get away from Kayley (who was apparently getting very grouchy ever since our little chat in the classroom). But all Timmy said was, "Wasn't my fwault."

"Of course it wasn't." I took his hand, like I always did (he was still a toddler, and kind of needed help moving sometimes).

But he pulled away. "Me gonna walk bwy myswelf."

"Oh." I tried to ask him a few questions about last month, but he always gave short, angry ones, like he was blaming the whole thing on me. Sadly, he wasn't the only one.

"Now you show your face!" Charlie cried when he saw me.

I gawped at him. "What?"

"Like you don't know," he said. "Where were you last month? Lazing around while Timmy got a whacking?"

"Away," I snapped. I was really getting irritated with people blaming me for everything. "Just like you were. What is it with people hating me?"

"Maybe it's because you deserve it, you nasty-"

"Charlie," a familiar voice said. It was Hazel's, but I hadn't heard it sounding this subdued in a long while. It was coming from behind the door. "It wasn't his fault."

"He left you to fend for yourself!"

"He wasn't even here."

"And what about his friends?"

"It's not fair to judge him on that. They got the little kids rescued."

"But how about you? Look what Ebony did! And Hanso might as well be his accomplice."

"Wait! Back up," I said. "What did he do to you?"

There was a slight pause, and slowly, Hazel stepped outside. I gasped. She had a huge black eye, the color of a dried plum. She held a bag of frozen peas to it, but it didn't seem to assist the healing much. "I tried to help the little kids," she explained. "Ebony…he wasn't happy. After giving me this, he threw me in the shed. Mummy only realized when she came to tuck me in at night. I didn't have any dinner, and I've been stuck in there for ages." She shivered.

I stared at her. "Hazel…I'm so sorry…"

"It's not your fault." Her head was bent downwards. "Ebony's getting out of jail tomorrow. Daddy's going to come after that, soon. I'm just enjoying what free time I'll have left." She stroked her black eye.

"Wait a second." I turned to Razor. "You could fix this, can't you?"

He looked taken aback. "Well…in theory I could, but-"

"Why didn't you?"

He shrugged, a little ashamed. "She is a rich kid, Hanso."

"Oh come on!" I groaned. "Can you please do it now?"

Razor cast a frightened glance at me and nodded, whipping up a potion that boiled an acid green. He took out a piece of cotton and dipped it in the bottle. "This might hurt, kid," he said, pressing it to Hazel's face.

At first she winced, but then slowly relaxed. "It burned at first," she told us. "But now it's like sucking the pain out of the wound."

I looked at Charlie. "This satisfy you now?"

"I believe so. And I apologize," he said. "The way I spoke to you earlier was a little uncalled for. I was just upset." Then he frowned. "But what do you mean people hating you?"

"I've been gone for two months and I can't tell anybody why, so please don't ask. People think I'm a spy for the enemy." I leaned in close to both of them and whispered, "Timmy's an example." They both glimpsed at Timmy sitting huffily at the side-walk.

"Timmy," Hazel said. "You like Hanso, right?"

"No!"

"Why not?" she said, perplexed.

"Me not tewwing. Sowwy, pwincess," he added when he saw her hurt face. Then he kept glaring at me.

Week 3

Today, Master Jacques informed me that since I'd been absent for two months I was failing class. I stared at him, dumbstruck. "What? But you said that I was still way ahead last week-"

"You need to study more," he said firmly. Before I could say anything else, he continued, "Hanso, I am sending you to the library to catch up. I am doing this purely because of that. It is not because I feel sorry for you and think that you should get some fresh air as Kanrik is not giving us permission for field trips lately, plus that I see some people mistreating you outside of class. It certainly is not because I think that Kanrik is being unreasonable with his punishment. And don't even think about it partly because you're your birthday next week, and you appear to have a miserable time so far. That would be ludicrous." He grinned, and I smiled back. At least _someone _was on my side. Briefly, I felt guilty about stealing the address and asking his best friend to help me. I wondered if he put two and two together yet.

"You can count on me, Master Jacques," I said. "I'll be sure to study very hard."

"But you'll still need an escort," he said. "Razor, you wouldn't mind, right?"

Razor had been partnered with Kayley on this making traps class, and had his hands caught on some hidden ones at least three times. He jumped up eagerly. "Okay!"

We both strolled into the library, going as slow as we could. I missed Brightvale. I mean, sure it wasn't exciting as the place where you could spot dangerous pirates everyday, but it was home. Eventually, we had to enter that stony, cold building—the library. I haven't been there for a long while, only when I was really bored or curious about a subject. "So," I said. I turned to Razor since he was the expert (I was so not going to ask that angry Yurble librarian). "What should I read?"

I regretted the words almost instantly, because Razor began a detailed description of each section. I didn't stop him; it gave me something to do, anyway. Some of the stuff he described was vaguely interesting, but he pointed out, "Master Jacques said that you should study a bit. If you read just a few paragraphs, then you could say you did that."

"Wait—there's a book about thieving in a public library?"

"Apparently."

"And the guards wonder why there are so many thieves in their kingdom," I muttered. "They practically put out manuals for them!"

"I liked this one," Razor said, handing a volume to me. It read _How to Pickpocket Effectively. _"It made stuff more simple. Mind you, everything seems simple in words…" Then he chose a book for himself and began reading. It's a bit scary if you watch him read. His eyes dart around the page, and he turns them so quickly that some people actually accuse him of skimming. Also, he gets so absorbed that he forgets everything in the world around him. Which is why he didn't notice a familiar Disco Zafara (along with a familiar Kougra with electric-blue eyes) spin into the aisle. He also forgot that I wasn't supposed to talk to Brynn.

Brynn was carrying four heavy books. She nearly dropped them when she saw me. Stifling a smile, I said, "Hello."

"Hello," she replied, frowning slightly. Even then, I was still glad to see her. She was probably the only one of my friends who doesn't know about the spy thing. "What are you doing here?"

I tried to keep from laughing. "I've been told I need to study more," I answered, holding up the book to show the cover. "You?"

"Sophia insisted on spending our free afternoon here," she explained.

I glanced at Sophia, and she was dancing along the shelves, caressing the worn covers and book edges with a dreamy expression on her face. Suddenly, she took one of the tomes out and grinned. "Got one!" she called to Brynn. When she saw me, her expression became momentarily troubled—but I fixed that with a small thumbs-up. Her smile returned, but she quickly said, "Okay, let's go!" She headed towards the desk.

"Bye," Brynn said to me, going towards her friend.

"She's in a world of her own, isn't she?" I commented as Sophia skipped towards the desk.

"You have no idea," Brynn replied, and then walked off. I glanced at Razor, still pressing his nose against his book, and had to stifle a smile again. _Are you sure, Brynn? _I thought.

Week 4

This is the worst birthday _ever._

I thought it'd be cool to finally get into the double digits, but just had to be spoiled by none other than that scheming, evil, stupid git... But let's back up here. Kanrik wasn't in the mood to celebrate anything, and since the Guild was so messed up I decided not to ask for anything much. I just hoped that Hannah would come soon. Anyway, we had the little kids again. And Timmy was still angry with me.

"Go away!" he yelled at me fiercely. We were near the edge of the square—the rest had already gone to the park.

"Aw," I said. "Is that how you treat your babysitter on his birthday?"

"Me know it's you bwirthday," he muttered. "Didn't gwet you a pwesent anyway."

"That's all right. But can't you at least be nice?"

"No."

"Timmy!" I said, exasperated. "What's up with you lately? I really don't think it's just the spy thing. You're mad at me for something else." I kneeled down so I was level with him and looked straight in the eye. "Why do you hate me so much now, hm? I thought we were friends."

And just like that, he burst into tears. "I dwon't hate wou! Wou hate me!"

I stared blankly at him. "What? Who gave you that idea?"

But Timmy wasn't listening. He turned right in the square and ran inside, stumbling as he went. I cursed—that's when the guards are usually out. It's not week two; I doubted that any guard besides Brynn would be nice to him. He was already known as a thief's child and my kid. Walking in the marketplace would be suicide.

He was fast when he was running top-speed. I ran after him for a long while – getting chased by guards helps with your stamina – but I didn't have the little kid's energy. Pretty soon, I was panting and lagging behind. "Timmy! Come back!" I managed to croak, but it was probably too hoarse to be heard.

Then I heard him squeal- not the I'm-having-a-blast kind, more like the I'm-dying-please-help-me kind. Getting one last surge of strength, I dashed to where I heard it coming from. That's when Harry's voice came up. "Well, well, look who we found in our little walk. A thief's child- wait, even better! It's that Ixi thief's kid! Good thing we brought our weapons."

I jumped out of my hiding place- not a wise move, but a desperate one. "You picking on three year olds now? Just when I thought you couldn't go any lower."

Harry laughed. "I knew you'd be near. And now there's no Sam to save you." He nodded at his gang importantly.

"You are nothing but an evil, manipulating buffoon. Can't you see he's brainwashing you?" I said to the group, emphasizing each word. Some blinked, but most just rolled their eyes. I guess my truth-speaking isn't very good yet.

Harry grinned and turned to Timmy, who gazed back at him at wide eyes. He lifted his hand to strike, but I blocked him. He hit me in the jaw instead. But he didn't seem disappointed that he missed. "Pathetic," he said. "I wasn't even aiming for you, and you still have a broken mouth."

"Go away, big mweanie!" Timmy cried.

Harry leaned his face close to his. "Think I'm a big meanie, kid? I'm just preparing you for the real world. When you grow up to be a big, despicable thief, mark my words that you're going to get people a lot tougher than me." Timmy quivered.

I shoved Harry from behind. "Get away from him."

"Oh, you want some more?" he said. "Good for you that I don't have my sword—you'd be dead by now."

That's it—I was armed, and he wasn't. I grabbed my dagger from my coat. I'd never actually use it on any of them – Kanrik always said to kill only when necessary, and to show mercy at every case – but it would help if they were scared. Sure enough, they were all a bit freaked out. I swiped at them experimentally, and most of them backed away. "You really shouldn't tell anybody that you don't have any weapons," I told Harry.

He snarled. "Put that thing away and fight fair, thief!"

"You call fighting ten to two fair?" I said. "No way. If I'm going down, I'm going down with a fight." I jabbed, and he jumped back.

"You'll pay for this," he warned, but retreated back to the castle. The rest of his group followed, stealing dirty glances at me. I just rolled my eyes.

Timmy was still in the corner, frightened. "He's mean."

"He's very mean," I agreed, sitting down beside him. "Now, what gave you the idea that I hate you? You know that isn't true."

The kid ducked down his head, but before he did I saw his eyes were filled with tears. "Kwayely told me that you dwidn't wike me anymwore. She swaid that wou thwought wou were bwetter off withwout me."

"K-Kayley?" I spluttered, shaking with fury. I remembered her words: _You can be sure you'll be paying for every single moment I keep silent. _This was her idea of payment? That little…ugh! "And you _believed _her?"

"Well, she swaid you weren't hwere the last twime we went. When the bwig bwack Usul…Bwunny….Ebwony…he chased us. Or the twime befwore that. Or the twime befwore that. You weren't hwere."

"I was busy, Timmy. Doing Guild stuff—traveling, really."

But the kid glared at me again, and so badly, even more badly that I wanted to tell Kanrik, I wanted to tell Timmy everything. But that would just doom the Guild. So my heart sank when he said, "Pwove it."

I just sighed. I wanted to show him somehow that I've been somewhere, but not the whole story. That would just be impossible. I dug my hands to my pockets—and felt something. A familiar, miniature pirate flag was in there. The kind that was only made in Krawk Island. My eyes widened, and I took it out. "Here, Timmy," I said, giving it to him. "This should prove it."

"Wow!" he squealed (happily this time). "This was onwy mwade it Kwawk Iswand…" He turned to me. "Wou went thwere?"

"I can't say anything. It's top-secret information—in fact, I shouldn't even have given you the flag. It's yours anyway," I added. "I thought you'd like it."

"You stwole it for me?"

"Yep. But you have to promise not to tell anybody where I went."

"Okay," he said. "I pwomise." And suddenly, he turned back to that happy little kid. He gave me a big hug. "I mwissed you! Oh, and I wied. I got you a bwirthday pwesent anyway." He handed me a hand-drawn picture from his pocket. It pictured both of us—in Charlie's burning house, getting through the fire. Not exactly a comforting, cheerful picture that you'd think a little kid would draw, but it was cute anyway.

"Thanks, Timmy," I said. Then I cursed when I saw the time. We all had to report back to the classroom before we went home, yet another new rule. "I gotta go."

But he held on to me. "I'm sowwy."

"That's okay, kid," I said, patting him awkwardly on the head again.

We went back to the hideout, and I ran in the classroom about ten minutes late. But Jacques just nodded, like I arrived just in time. I went up to Kayley, scowling. "That was a new low—even for you."

"What was?" she said, feigning innocence.

"You said that I didn't like Timmy any more," I seethed.

"Well, it seems you don't like him enough to tell the truth."

"Liar!"

"Thieves aren't actually known for being honest."

"That's- that was even worse than telling Harry about Brynn's necklace!" I shouted. "You lied to a little kid. He won't understand the difference or why you did it. Did you know that the 'information' nearly got Timmy killed?"

For a moment, she looked a shocked. "W-what?" I explained the situation. She just rolled her eyes. "Well, there's guards for you."

"Again with the guards! Why are you so obsessed with hating them?"

"'Cause they're evil, vile, and blame thieves for everything!"

"Not all of them."

"You think your friend's any different?"

We were both standing up, both our hands on our daggers. We'd never been this close to a fight since we were seven. And since we were now both trained, it would be a whole lot more dangerous. Luckily, Master Jacques finally looked up from the letter he was writing and noticed us. "For Fyora's sake!" he screeched, pulling us apart. "Hanso, do you know how many exceptions I made for you? And Kayley, have you learned nothing for the past three years?"

"Apparently not," I muttered. Kayley glared at me.

"Stop it," he ordered. "If you aren't saying anything that might be useful, then _shut up. _Nothing is worth getting in fights for. You don't know how much a few misplaced words could do…" He had a strange expression on his face when he said that, like he was remembering something painful. But then he shook his head. "Right. You two aren't spending a moment in each other's company until you work out how to be civil. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Master Jacques," we said in subdued voices. He might be better with the teacher thing than we thought.

**Wow, that took a loooong time to write. ****I'll try to update soon, but I'm going to be busy for the next few weeks. :) **


	34. October at Age 10

**Sooooo, back to Hanso's Journal. I've finally finished studying (I hope—depends on what grade I got), so I'll probably update more often. It was fun making the song-fics, though; I'll probably do another one again soon. :)**

The Month of Gathering (October) Age 10

Week 1

Last week, Master Jacques said something like _You two aren't spending a moment in each other's company until you work out how to be civil. _That wasn't any time soon. Me and Kayley have been shooting each other glares all week, but glances from the teacher made us stay away from an outright confrontation. The only thing we could do to show just how much we hated each other was through our classes—it was always either me or her who answered the question, gave the demonstration, or just finished Master Jacques's sentences. He got really annoyed, but at least we weren't fighting.

I was really angry. She could've chosen anyone else to turn against me. My parents (they would've stuck with me anyway—they're my _parents_), Master Jacques (he isn't big on punishments anyway), the rest of the class (I could tolerate cold shoulders from them, though it would've still hurt), Charlie and Hazel (Hazel's too sweet to hold a grudge, and I doubt that Charlie wouldn't be as quick to doubt me as last time), and even Brynn. The last one kinda makes me want to laugh. She'd have to approach an 'evil guard' to turn her against me, and Brynn wouldn't have believed any thief. Took me long enough to earn her trust in the first place.

But not Timmy—_so _not him. I mean, he's just a little kid. He wouldn't understand why she'd lie; I doubted he understood what lying meant. Besides that, he relied on me. I think he didn't like forcing himself to hate me, and if he kept at it he could've been killed because of that idiot Harry. He's four years old. He can't take care of himself yet.

I was thinking this when I was staring at a map in the classroom. I wanted to see how far I'd gone. It was cool to think I'd traveled outside of Brightvale for the first time. If only it was just for fun. Anyway, I liked tracing the route in my mind from here to Krawk Island. Garin had showed me how to read the weird lines, and I memorized everything anyway. Everyone else was out of the room.

Or so I thought.

"Funny, you never seemed interested in maps before," a girl's voice said. Juliet peered at the poster behind me. "Why are you looking at them now?"

"Uh, I just wanted to check them out," I said.

"You know, Hanso, you are a _terrible _liar," Juliet said matter-of-factly.

I shrugged. "Unfortunately right, but I can't tell you the real reason."

"I think I can guess. You went somewhere overseas, right?" I refused to answer. She frowned. "Why aren't you telling anyone, Hanso? It'd be a lot easier. Nort and a lot of thieves tease you so badly—I sometimes even hear their taunts. '_We should've known. You couldn't have solved all that stuff if you haven't caused them in the first place._' They're not even annoying anymore, just cruel." She had a concerned expression on her face.

I winced. "I'd tell if I could, but…I just can't." I glimpsed at the Krawk Island part of the map again. That's where Hannah was. At least, I think where she was. She said she'd come soon. Why wasn't she here now? But I had to keep silent; I promised. And I definitely didn't want to doom the whole guild.

"That's okay," she said. I gaped at her, and she laughed. "You think I was going to give an interrogation?"

"No," I admitted. "But you obviously stayed for a reason. I mean, even without the candy you hate staying in one place at a time. Especially the classroom."

"Is it so bad to want to go study somewhere else sometimes?" she complained. "Okay, fine. It isn't about your disappearance a few months ago. I'm sure you'll tell when you can." I grinned. One thing great about Juliet is that she was really patient. "But Kayley."

"What about her?"

"You guys haven't been this hostile since she told that Harry jerk about Brynn's necklace. What happened?"

"She lied," I muttered. "Lied to Timmy, and that nearly got him killed by you-know-who." I told her the whole situation, and she raised her eyebrows.

"That _is_mean," she said. "I hate the thought of things getting hurt, especially a cute kid like him. But don't blame her for that."

"_What?"_

"Hanso, Kayley does stupid things when she's angry. She regrets them later, really."

"Sure doesn't act like it, though."

"Didn't we have this conversation before?" she asked. "Of course she doesn't. She hates getting proved wrong."

"But she lied to a little kid!"

"Timmy's like your little brother now, isn't he?" she suddenly said. The question caught me off-guard. It seemed totally unrelated to what we were just talking about.

"Why would you say that?" I questioned.

"Please, it's as plain as the candy in my pocket," she replied. "That kid looks up to you. He follows you around, he actually mimics you—and he was absolutely miserable when you weren't here. Really, he just sat in a corner and pouted. None of us could coax him to play until his mother came." I smiled. "At the same time, you love him like a little brother. Think about what you did with Harry last week. You could've run for help-"

"He could've been beaten to pulp by then!"

"But it was an easier way out for you. Think about the first time you saw him. He was a job, a problem caused because you worded your New Years' Resolution wrong. He and you came a lot through together after that, and when Kanrik came back you requested for us to keep the little kids. You wouldn't have done the same thing you had a week ago in the beginning."

"I probably wouldn't," I agreed. "Now what's this got to do with Kayley again?"

"Like I said, he copies you. And he's tougher than you might think. We thought that the little kids would be traumatized by going to jail after the fire. You were unconscious, and when you woke up they were already hyper and considering it like a field trip. The truth is, when we first arrived, they _were _scared. Terrified, even. And none of us could comfort them 'cause they were in different cells. Then Timmy began joking around, just like you do, and somehow he got the little kids laughing by telling them a funny story about a Mortog and a pauper."

"Oh, yeah. I told him that."

"Uh-huh. The point is, you're doing the whole over-protective sibling thing. At first it's sweet, but it could turn seriously annoying. Trust me." She made an aggravated face. "Timmy can handle himself, even if he's just four. Any kid of yours would need pretty thick skin and quick-thinking to keep up with you."

"That's true," I said. "But why'd Kayley pick him and not somebody else to get to hate me?"

"You do know that your relationship with your kid is the best in the group, right? Robby is my pipsqueak, if you remember. He's a blue Nimmo. We get along okay, but I honestly doubt he'd mind if I disappear for awhile. The same thing goes for everybody else's. Except Kayley," she added as an afterthought. "Hm, that could be the answer. Lilia and her are great. She must've known how much Timmy's opinion matters to you because of Lilia."

I stared at her. "How'd you understand all of those things? I was like thinking about it for a week, and you just figured everything out in five minutes."

"Common sense," she replied. "That's one thing I'm good at, I guess. Everyone has it, but not much uses it. Or I just like observing stuff—not like you and Kayley, you guys are naturally smart." She shrugged modestly. "Anyway, could you please fix things with Kayley? Timmy's not going to be affected."

I scowled. "That doesn't excuse that she did it."

"Why is she mad in the first place?" Juliet questioned. "Even though everyone's angry, no one has blown up like that yet."

"She knows more than I'd like," I answered. "And she hates keeping silent—so she's making me pay because of it."

She looked confused, but I walked pass her back to the lunchroom. Talks with Juliet always makes me feel like she could read my mind, and I have too many secrets too keep. I guess that's the worst thing, when you can't tell something: You can't trust anyone.

Week 2

There was another Thieves' riot, but not from our side. Masila's group, or the Assassins as I heard the rest of my class call them, made an attack on the marketplace. This kind of means grabbing all the merchandise you can find. That doesn't sound very bad, does it? After all, that's what the Thieves' Guild does everyday. But it turns out that the Guild depends on whatever they recover daily; and like I mentioned once before, they give the excess stuff to the neediest people. Master Jacques explained that if they kept this up, the whole Guild would starve.

"For once, we're going to have to work with the Guards to take them down; the plan is to take as many enemies as we can to get information out of them." He looked at me quickly, and then turned to the rest of us again. "As you know, usually this case is usually when you take care of your little friends. But, er, Kanrik asked me stay put to add a few security measures." He glanced at me again, and I got the message. The Guild Leader didn't trust us to be alone because one of us A.K.A me could be the spy and sneak off to warn the enemy.

"But you have to go!" I exclaimed. "You'd be a lot more use to the Guild out there than in here."

"That's my opinion, too. So, children…" he flinched visibly, "I'm going to go out and help anyway." We stared at him. It isn't everyday when a teacher admits he's going to break the rules. "And I _implore _you to stay here and not follow my example. Please."

"We promise," Kayley said, and the rest of us nodded.

"Okay, then," he said, going out the door. "And Julius and Juliet, _please _don't break anything while I'm not here."

The Wocky twins looked hurt. "We don't do that anymore," Julius muttered, but the teacher had already left.

For awhile we all just sat there in silence. There was a sense of panic in the room, and I was sure that most of us were thinking about Jacques or their parents. Mom was awesome with knives, and Dad could sneak on anybody, but would that be good enough? I hated to think about it.

"They'll be fine," Kayley said, as if reading our minds. We stared at her. Kayley's not one to give reassurance to anybody. "What? Kanrik wouldn't send people out unless they can handle it, and Jacques wasn't included only because of his suspicions of a particular annoying person." She glared at me, and I glared back, but we were all weirdly comforted.

"That's good," Razor sighed. "I hate thinking that my mom's in danger, even if she's good with a whip. But at least the thieves will protect her, right? And the guards?"

Kayley snorted. "The thieves, maybe, but I seriously doubt that most of the guards would be any help."

"Because we're thieves and they wouldn't rescue us?" I challenged.

"That's one reason," she said. "Another is because they probably can't handle grown-up assassins."

"Huh? But they're trained to do that!"

"Not yet," she said sleekly. When she saw my confused face, she rolled her eyes. "Think, Hanso. What week of the month is it?"

"Week two…." My eyes widened when I realized what she meant. "Sweet Fyora, Brynn's out there!"

"Finally! A breakthrough!" she said sarcastically. "Miss-Goody-Two-Shoes won't be able to assist thieves when she can't even take care of herself yet. It took all our power to protect her in the last riot. Now that we're not there…" She sighed, feigning sadness. "Such a pity."

I glowered at her. "I have to get out there and help!"

"Now that's just stupid," she commented.

"You can't!" Juliet cried. "Hanso, we promised!"

"Well, technically only Kayley promised," Razor said. Juliet scowled at him, and he rapidly added, "But it would be very foolish to get out there, where there are a manner of pointy objects that could be aimed at you."

"I have to," I insisted. "She's my-"

"Friend?" Kayley said, smirking. "I thought that was just pretend."

"I can't pretend when she's dead," I countered, and suddenly I wish I didn't use the word 'dead.' "Look, I'll be back soon. I just have to make sure she has a way of getting back to the Guard's base."

"Hanso-" Razor began, but I was already heading out.

It really was a nightmare. People were getting robbed and mugged, and most people I saw doing it weren't on our side. I did see some regular thieves, but they weren't very successful. An assassin would take the loot, and a thief would follow, only to be ambushed or taken prisoner. It was really a nifty strategy, but a horrible one. No one else noticed, since they couldn't spare the time to watch. I was about to jump in when a hand grabbed my shoulder.

"Hanso!" Kanrik growled. Busted. "Where's Jacques?"

"He, er-"

"Disobeyed my orders, it seems," he said. "Probably went out to help, and you snuck off. What are you doing out here? Never mind," he interrupted himself. He looked at the Assassins and back at me. "I think the answer's fairly obvious."

I scowled at him. "I'm not warning them! I just wanted to make sure Brynn's okay."

"Which is still against my orders," he said. "And even if it wasn't, that's a likely story."

"Kanrik?" asked a lady's voice. It had a note of disbelief in it. "Are you accusing that child of being a spy?" She stepped into view, and I realized it was Marie wearing a hood. Her jaw dropped when she saw who I was. "Your own apprentice?"

"He's not really my apprentice," he snapped. That stung, but I tried not to show it.

"I'm not going to warn them," I said desperately.

"Kanrik, put him down," Marie said. He reluctantly did so. She kneeled to the ground so she was level with me, so we were face to face. "What makes him think you're a spy?"

"He-" Kanrik began, but she shushed him.

"I prefer to here his version, Kanrik. Children's stories show their side." Wow. She really was a mom. "So? What happened?"

"I disappeared for two months," I said. "And I wouldn't tell him where I went."

"Why not?"

"I can't. I promised I wouldn't."

"Promised who?" she asked kindly.

"Sorry. I can't tell you."

"See? He's working for-" Marie shushed him again.

"Hanso, answer me. Are you Masila's spy?" She looked straight in my eyes.

"No," I promised. "I wouldn't go near that lady for a gazillion neopoints! Erm, no offense," I added when I remembered that she was her sister.

"None taken at all," she replied. "You're telling the truth."

"What?" Kanrik cried. "He could be lying!"

"Kanrik, he _can't _lie. He's a truth-speaker and they're all _terrible_ liars, whether he's a thief or not." _Well, that explains it, _I thought. "Whenever he says something false, it will sound awkward and you'll know right away."

Kanrik didn't look convinced. He stared at me suspiciously, with his arms crossed. "Then why hasn't he said the truth?"

"You can't pretend you've withheld information for the Guild's own good," Marie said, standing up. "That was what made most mistrust you. At the beginning, you didn't alert anyone of Masila's appearance until weeks afterward, which caused doubt and panic." He winced. "Anyway, maybe it's good that he's here. I may have a job for him."

"What?" Kanrik gaped at her. "If you need something done, ask one of the adults."

"This job requires someone small and sneaky," she said. "He's perfect for it. He'll need to break into the Guards' base."

"What?" he repeated.

"I need to talk to Sam. I have to." She looked at me. "Could you do that?" I nodded. As an afterthought, I told them about the Assassins' strategy. "You've been paying attention," she said approvingly. "We'll keep that in mind. Oh, and if Sam happens to be currently busy give him these." She handed me a small package. I thought she'd have some sort of stink bomb or something to distract everyone. Instead, I found-

"Cookies?" I said indecorously. They were the white chocolate kind, with a pale, floury wrapping around the dark chocolate. They looked absolutely delicious, but I didn't see how they could help.

"They're not just for satisfying his sweet tooth," she said with a wink. "Let's just say it makes whoever eats them more…agreeable."

"And come straight back," Kanrik said.

I nodded and tucked the cookies inside my coat. The Guards' base wasn't far, but I was blocked by loads of people stealing and then fighting for what they stole. I only got through by following my instincts and avoiding getting daggered. In fact, I can't even remember what I did to avoid it. It was all a blur.

I stood outside the base, near the bush where I spied on Sharon. Sam wasn't there, which meant I really had to go inside. Helpfully, there was a Visitor's Bulletin on the wall, and one glance at it told me he was having sword practice in the barracks. It was easy enough to sneak in—I mean, the guards expect thieves to break out of prison, now into it.

Their sword-fighting classes were awesome and scary at the same time. It was really cool how they ducked and jabbed and all that. But I thought about it being done to a thief - even worse, being done to me- I shuddered and continued to search for Sam.

There was the Tonu teacher, and she was barking out orders at everyone to get a move on. "Move it, people!" She screamed. "Come on, you can do better than that, McEvans! Fann, you call that a swing? Put some muscle to it! Ritch-" She paused, having nothing bad to say. I remembered that 'Ritch' was Sam's last name and looked up. And inwardly groaned. He was fighting with Harry. Wanting to avoid the jerk, I decided to wait until I got a chance to talk to Sam alone.

"Sad that your little girls aren't here to save you now, eh, Sammy?" Harry growled, sending him a look of pure hate.

"You calling me Sammy is creepy," Sam commented cheerfully. "Isn't that right, Harry-kins? Your mum loved that nickname last time she visited." I smirked. Now that would be something to tell my friends.

"You little-" He slashed fiercely, but Sam blocked.

"Uh-uh-uh. Basic rule of sword-fighting: Don't let your emotions get control of you. Channel them."

"Very good, Ritch," said the Tonu teacher appreciatively. Harry muttered something about her playing favorites. She frowned and said, "All right, switch partners! This time I'll pick people with the same level of skill. Harold, go to Nark, please." She assigned him with the skinniest, most ill-looking kid in the entire Guard. It looked like he could barely hold up a sword. Harry's eyes gleamed evilly, suddenly satisfied. "Ritch, pair up with Woods. You two have the same level of talent, I believe."

Sam, who'd been looking concerned about Nark, suddenly grinned. I wondered why until I saw who he was paired up with. "Theresa," he said.

"Sam," she replied, smiling back. She was a pretty green Eyrie with a sort of regality about her, like she should be a princess or something. Her long, blond hair kind of added with the whole royalty image, but her pink and purple highlights made her seem more normal. All in all, I can see why Sam was beaming to have her as his partner. She was gorgeous.

But she was also a problem. I needed to talk to Sam, and it didn't look that a convenient time was coming soon as he had all his attention on her. I was going to have to make one. Somehow, I had to signal to Sam. I needed to make sure he knew I was a thief, or else he'd probably go ask permission to see me. Three things that thieves had: a coat (which I was so not taking off), a necklace with a tiny green jewel that let us enter in the Thieves' Guild (I would be doomed if I lost it), and a dagger.

I chose the last one and took careful aim. I slid it on to the floor, right to Sam's foot. I think I might have hit it a bit too hard, because he flinched. He didn't cry out, though, which was good. He pried his eyes away from Theresa for a moment and found the dagger. He ducked down and pocketed it before anyone could see.

"Are you okay?" Theresa asked, seeing him double-up. "Do you need to go to the nurse or something?"

"Er, no," he said. Then he looked pass her. I was right behind her near a few shrubs, and I waved for just a moment before hiding again. He grimaced, glancing at me and Theresa.

"The taco at lunch?" she asked sympathetically. "I was nearly sick, too. You really should go."

"I think...I'll just throw up in the bushes a little. It isn't that bad," he said. She looked confused, probably wondering what 'a little' meant. He left and strode over to me quickly. "I haven't seen you in awhile," he said, grinning. "Hi again, Master Hanso."

I opened my mouth and closed it. "Master Hanso?"

"That's what they call Master Thieves still, right?" he said, tussling my hair.

"But…I'm not a Master Thief."

"Well, you're a lot more sensible than most," he replied. I grinned. "So, what brings you here in this top-security place crawling with enemies? I take it this isn't a casual visit?" I nodded. "It's probably not about the Rebellion either, since you would have probably asked me on my patrol or said something to Dylan over there. So?"

"Marie wants to see you," I said.

His eyebrows flew up. "Mum? Why would she-? Never mind, she wouldn't ask if its not important. Auntie Masila, probably." I didn't know what was weirder, how he could figure out stuff so quickly or him calling Masila 'auntie.' "But I'm a bit busy at the moment." He glanced back through the leaves at Theresa ruefully. She was leaning against the wall, partner-less. Harry had just finished tackling Nark and was winking at her in a disgusting way. Sam gritted his teeth. "Any solutions on that?"

"Um…well, your mom did send cookies," I said, giving them to him.

His eyes lit up. "Perfect!"

"They look really yummy," I said wistfully. "And there's a whole bunch. You can't possible eat them all." I knew I wasn't hinting too subtly, but hey, I was hungry.

He chuckled. "They're not for eating." He went back over to the barracks and called out to everyone, "Hey, look what I have!" They all turned to stare at the cookies.

Theresa's jaw dropped. "But you were in the bushes."

"Mum sent them through Petri Package." If anyone else said that it would've sounded ridiculous, but Sam made it sound convincing. "I think everyone should have one."

"I don't know, Ritch," said the Tonu teacher.

"But Mum's cookies are so good. Everyone should have at least a taste. And I'm not counting you out, professor," Sam said, holding the cookie under the Tonu's nose.

She sniffed and sighed. "Oh, fine, just one."

Everyone took a biscuit and ate it appreciatively. There were loads. Harry tried to take more than his share, but Sam just smiled. I wondered what he was up to. Pretty soon, they were all munching and commenting how delicious it was. Then Sam said, "Professor, it'd be fine if I would just go out for a little while, right?"

"Of course, Sam," she said happily. "These cookies are great." I gawped at her. Even if I hadn't met her really, I had guessed that she was really tough. Maybe she was. I blinked, realizing that the cookies probably had something to do with it. Sam grinned.

"It wouldn't be marked in the class record, now, would it?"

"Nope. Oh, and such a chocolately flavor! You really should get more."

"Uh-huh. Dylan, would you mind forgetting all this? It'd just be so inconvenient for you to tell the girls, even if you think it might be important."

"Already forgetting, Sam," he said, nodding obediently. "I have no idea what just happened here."

"In fact," Sam said. "Could you please all forget what happened?" There was a murmur of agreement and compliments to the cookies. "It's okay, Hanso," he said, calling to me. "They'll forget the whole thing after we're gone. You can come out."

"Wow," I said, glancing at Harry. He wasn't attacking, just smiling stupidly at the crumbs in his hands. "What were those?"

"Mum's happy cookies. Makes everyone who eats them agreeable to whatever the person says. Sometimes persuading using my awesome leadership skills just isn't enough. I try not to use it too often though; it's very complicated to make, and I hate taking advantage of people. You wouldn't believe how many chores Mum got me to promise to do when I ate one once…"

"So, they'll do whatever we say?" I asked.

He nodded, but said, "We really should go-"

"Wait! This is way too sweet to waste." I went to Harry and said, "Start clucking like an idiot."

"Buck-buck-buck-cock! Cock-a-doodle-doo!" he said obediently. For good measure, he started pecking at the ground. Sam and I glanced at each other and burst out laughing. We just stood there guffawing until tears ran down our faces.

"Why didn't I think of that?" said Sam admirably. "Ah well, we have to go. But that was priceless!"

We made pretty quick progress—the streets were luckily a little clearer now. But there were enough thieves and assassins around that made Sam raise his eyebrows. "What happened here?" he asked.

"Masila," I replied. I scanned the crowd. "You think Brynn will be all right? And, er, that Viola girl?"

"Believe me, Hanso, Captain Brynn is really resourceful. She'll survive," he assured me.

"Captain Brynn?"

"She's good enough to end up Captain, I think," he said. "Smart, skillful, quick…she's got the makings of someone really great. You, too. I can see why you're friends with her."

"What? Who said anything about being friends?" I said nervously.

"You know that truth-speakers don't lie very well, right?"

"Darn," I grumbled.

"Hey, better than getting away with lying all the time. Then you'll always be really careful what you say," he said.

"You wouldn't lie," I said absent-mindedly.

He smiled, a little sadly. "Nice to know that your opinion of me is high. But you've seen me at my worst, remember? And you know, a long time ago I did lie a lot. To my mom, my dad…" He winced.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"'Let's just say a grown-up taught me very wrong things, and I followed her 'cause I thought her way is easier. Back then, I didn't know that the easy way isn't always the best," he said. I had an inkling on who the 'bad grown-up' was, but I could tell he didn't want to talk about it. For awhile we walked in silence. Then I thought of something that made me stop walking. Sam looked at me quizzically. "Anything wrong?"

"Well…" I hesitated. "Masila's your aunt, right? And Marie's sister?"

"Yeah," he said.

"Uh, I like your mom and stuff, but there's supposedly this spy in the Thieves' Guild. A lot of people think it's me-"

"You?" he asked indecorously. "You're ten!"

"Wait, how'd you know that?" I questioned.

"I figured that you'd be a bit older than Brynn, and her birthday is next week," he said. "Okay, go on."

"Yeah, well, not accusing Marie of anything, but is there any chance that she…well, that she's the spy? She is her sister."

He blinked at me and shook his head. "Mum would never betray the Guild. The only thing that made her quit last time was Dad, and now that he's gone…well, she sort of regards them as her family. Slightly evil and greedy family, yes, but family. Her hospitality to Masila only extends to listening to what evil plan she currently has, begging her not to do it, and letting her stay in our house from time to time without telling Kanrik. Besides, he and her worked out a plan," he added.

"What's that?" I queried.

"Kanrik knows that Mum doesn't want to betray either her or him, so what he did is to temporarily disband her from the Guild. She's still officially in, she's just not allowed to stay in the headquarters or go to any guild meetings until the whole thing blows over."

"Oh." So that ruled Marie out. Now I had to think about the next three hundred thieves in the Guild who could be the spy.

"There you are!" cried Kanrik, appearing out of nowhere. "I thought you'd have-"

"Run away?" I finished.

"It wouldn't be the first time," he shot back.

Sam stared openmouthed at Kanrik and me. Before he could ask what was wrong, Marie came and gave him a huge hug. "Hi, Mum," he said, hugging her back. "You needed to tell me something-?"

"In private," she said, and took him in an old alleyway. She looked at me and Kanrik meaningfully, asking us not to enter. We nodded.

"See?" I said when they were both out of earshot. "I could do a job without betraying you."

He rolled his eyes. "That proves nothing. It was a simple task."

"Which was important," I reminded him. He said nothing, just leaned back and frowned. "You're getting mad at me for no reason," I said irritably. "Do you want me to be the spy?"

He glared at me. "No. If there was any other person, any other possibility, I'd gladly remove you from suspicion. Unfortunately, that's not the case."

I shut up, thinking about what he said. It was like there was some meaning to it besides _I have to suspect you_. Like, _you'd be the last person I want to be a spy._ Because he liked me? 'Cause I nearly was his apprentice? Deep, deep down, though I hated to admit it, I hoped so.

I looked at the crowd, just thinking. Then I saw it. A flash of color—electric blue. I stood up on a nearby barrel. It was Brynn and Violet; with a familiar friend of ours. "Sweet Fyora!"

"What?" said Kanrik.

"Vlade!" I cried. "He's back and trying to get to Brynn. I have to go." I was about to run to her and help, when Kanrik pulled me back by the scruff of my coat.

"Don't, Hanso," he said sternly. "You're not allowed, and I fully doubt if you can manage to defeat a Master Thief."

"But-"

"That's final!"

"What's final?" Sam asked, stepping out of the alley.

"Brynn's in trouble!" I cried, and pointed to the direction.

Sam's expression changed from confused to determined. "I don't have my sword, but I'll put up a fight," he said confidently. "I'll bring them home." With that, he charged in to the crowd. I watched anxiously, but all I could see were people's feet.

"Here, Hanso," Marie said, and gave me a boost to the barrel again. I smiled at her gratefully. By the time I found them, I saw Sam had finished with Vlade already and were taking the girls to the base. I sighed with relief.

"Hanso? What are you doing here?" said a voice. I turned to find Mom staring at me, her knives unsheathed. I spotted Dad a little ways behind her, tying up an assassin. I was double-relieved then.

"He's fine, Liz," Marie promised, hoisting me down. "Just tried to make sure his friend was all right."

"Marie?" said Mom. She smiled. "It's been a long time." Turning to Kanrik, she said, "I've taken down around twenty five assassins, sir, and my husband is finishing off his twenty sixth."

"Twenty five?" Marie asked, amazed. "You've gotten good."

She looked at her and grinned. "I learned from the best."

"Come on, then," said Kanrik wearily. "Let's get back to the base. I'd rather not have any more surprises today."

Week 3

Jacques was furious at me not following his orders. He barely talked to me all week. I visited Marie again, just a quick peep, and she gave me one of her happy cookies. The next day, Jacques said that disobeying orders was perfectly fine as long as I'd give him more of those delicious biscuits.

The twins were shocked, not used to having any magical food besides their candy. Razor wanted to get the recipe. Kayley glared.

I probably won't use the happy cookies any time soon again.

Week 4

I've got more problems than I thought.

We had the little kids again, and of course Timmy and I went off to see Hazel and Charlie. I wanted to check that they were both still okay, though I really doubted it. Hazel had said something about her dad coming soon, and the way she said it made her seem even more scared of him than Ebony. To be honest, I was a little scared, too. I mean, he's a grown-up. I have enough evil grown-ups to handle.

Hazel was in her garden, pruning the bushes. She smiled when she saw me. "Hi Timmy, Hanso!"

"Hey," I said. "What are you weeding the garden for? Did your dad or Ebony make you?"

She made a face. "I like working in the garden. I don't sit around all day, you know." I grinned sheepishly. "Daddy's ship got delayed." She leaned in close and whispered, "They said that someone pirated it!"

"Piwated?" Timmy questioned, his eyes wide.

"What? Who?" I asked.

"The ship's name is _The Black Pawkeet_, I think." I nearly laughed. Thank you, Garin! "His trip is going to be delayed for awhile, so I'm okay for a bit. There's still Ebony…he might lock me in a shed again. But that's okay, I can stand it."

"He won't do that!" I said furiously. "I'll pick the lock-"

"You can't pick it," she replied sorrowfully. "They've got an alarm on it, and it'll get the entire guard here again." Darn. She saw the look on my face and said, "Don't worry, I'm okay."

"You don't want anyone to be concerned for you, so you don't tell anyone how much it hurts," I said without thinking.

She blinked. "How'd you know that?"

"Oh, er, and ability of mine." I didn't want to explain the whole truth-speaking thing, so I just left it at that.

"Poor pwincess," Timmy cooed, giving her a hug. You know, that kid's timing is always astounding.

"Hullo Hanso!" Charlie said, coming round the corner. "Timmy! Pleasure to meet you again, little chap." Timmy gave him a toothy smile. "How are things?" he asked me. "Honest answer."

"Not good," I admitted. "I'm getting mocked a lot for being a spy. I seriously hate it. Oh, and there's no sign of any help coming along-" My mind's I flashed to Hannah, but I ignored it- "and I don't even know how strong the enemy is."

Hazel frowned, still removing the weeds. "Why don't you look at its roots? Their hideout?" she asked, yanking the spoiled plants out. "Then you can have an idea on how they are."

"That'd be a great idea. Only, I don't know where their hideout is, and a few people, meaning Kayley, have neglected to show me."

"What?" Timmy asked, not getting what we were saying.

"Hanso's looking for the evil witch's lair," Charlie explained. "The wretched lady has got an army, and he needs to see how big they are. But he doesn't know where they're hiding."

"The bwad guys?" We nodded. "Oh, thwat's easy! Theyw're near the palace, round the bwig bwack oak, and then down the swippery hill…what?" He blinked at our shocked faces.

"Timmy, are you making this up?" I asked.

He pouted. "'Course not! Lilia dwared me to go fwollow her bwig kid, so I followed Kawyely snweaking in the bwad pwace. I wan away, but Lilia gave me candy 'cause I did it."

I stood up. "I gotta go check this out," I said apologetically to Charlie and Hazel.

"Naturally, we're coming too," said Charlie.

"Guys," I said, exasperated. "It's bad enough that I have to get Timmy in danger. You're just-"

"Rich kids? Little kids?" Charlie asked. "Come on, we're seven years old! And even rich kids want a bit of adventure. Right, Hazel?"

"Uh…" She looked unsure, but nodded. "Right."

"And we'll follow you if you don't let us come," Charlie continued. I winced. They'd be caught in less than two seconds.

"Okay, people, but stick close. Lead the way, Timmy," I told him, and he quickly ran off.

The kid had a really good memory. He didn't hesitate once, just led us in the right direction and to some bushes where he could hide. At first, Hazel tried to go to the big pines, but I pointed out the leaves were too bare to be much cover. Sheepishly, she said, "Sorry. Usuls are prone to trees, usually if they don't want to be seen." Finally, I got them sorted and taught Charlie and Hazel how to crawl properly. I peeked through the brambles.

I gasped.

The whole place was swarming with assassins. Kayley was right: We were outnumbered ten to one. There'd be no chance of winning a war with them unless some go to our side. And judging from their faces – faces that could kill – none of them would. At least I didn't see Masila, which was a relief.

"Oh, my," Charlie said in a quiet voice. "This is what you put up with everyday?"

"Yup. Gotta dodge them all on our way to school."

"Sweet Fyora!" he said. I shushed him. "You thieves are really tough."

"At least they don't have the Tradition," Hazel said silently.

I frowned. "The Tradition?" Both Hazel and Charlie shuddered.

"It's this sick, twisted practice that rich kids have been forced to do through the ages. A lot of people tried to fight against it, but unfortunately none have succeeded. It's very medieval, too."

"But what is it? What happens?" I asked.

"Rather difficult to explain all the knobs and levers, but basically it's an arranged betrothal at a certain age," Charlie told me.

My jaw dropped. "It isn't that surprising, Hanso," said Hazel softly. "How do you think my mum ended up with my dad? She didn't marry him by choice, that's for sure."

Charlie continued, "Each family has an age limit on how long you could go on un-betrothed. Mine is twenty one years old, which is a relief since it's such a long way off. What's yours, Hazel?"

Her sweet face darkened for a moment. "Fifteen."

We gasped. "Shhh!" Timmy whisper-shouted. A passing assassin paused, but then continued on.

"You mean you have to know who you're going to spend the rest of your life with by the time you're fifteen years old?" I asked. She nodded sadly.

"That's awful!" Charlie exclaimed. "Even my family isn't as twisted as that. What about Ebony-"

"Boys have a longer age limit," she said. "His is eighteen. Anyway, I don't think he's gonna have any problems with his wife disobeying him." Seeing that we wanted to talk about it more, she said quickly, "Continue explaining, Charlie. That's not even the half of it."

"Right," he said, though now his face looked troubled. "So, um, it's mostly the parents who arrange the whole thing, mostly. The boy will have more say in it, since he'll come call on the girl at least once. If he finds her pleasing, he approves and the betrothal is sealed. Once it's done, it can't be undone again. He can only refuse three times, and just so you know I plan on saying no until I can't anymore. This system is horrible, I can tell you that. The girl may be able to pretend to be lovely until they're married, and then she might turn out a spoiled brat-"

"-And the boy would be able to have any girl he wants, no matter what her choice," Hazel finished.

"What if you don't get betrothed?" I asked. "Just pass the age limit. Then what happens?"

"You get sent away to be properly trained," said Charlie. "Again, this depends on which family. In mine, if I don't get betrothed soon enough, I get sent to my grandmother." He shuddered. "Daft old codger she is, she'll probably 'straighten me up' in a jiffy and get me very, very respectable."

"I get sent to finishing school," Hazel said. "I have to learn to straighten up, Latin, be a good wife, be patient, basically be a servant to my husband's every need. When I get back when I'll twenty, it'll guarantee me a husband."

I winced. Maybe being a thief is better than a rich kid.

Hazel looked at me and said, "We shouldn't be telling you this. You've help me a lot already. Sasha's not here to boss me around anymore, Violet's writing loads more letters, and I'm having fun when I can."

"Isn't there a way out?" I asked desperately.

She paused for a moment, and said, "Well…yes. In fact, Violet and I found this loophole a long time ago. If you don't want to get married, you have to join the guards. That way you could still be doing your duty to the kingdom and be respectable. It was actually meant for boys, but Violet and I checked dozens of times and there wasn't anything that said it couldn't be for girls either. The people who made these rules up probably thought that girls would be so weak they'd rather get married than be a guard. But Violet proved them wrong," she said proudly.

"So that's why she was so keen in joining them," Charlie muttered. "Never thought guarding with be Miss Firecracker's aspiration."

She frowned at Charlie, and he grinned at he apologetically. "Anyway, even that's a little shaky. Violet might think that she might have escaped, but you never know if Daddy would try to get her out of the guards. Then she'd have no escape. But we both agreed it was worth a shot."

"Then you guys should be guards," I said. "I might not usually say that would be good, but if it's your only chance at getting out of an arranged betrothal, I'll let myself get caught by you any day."

Charlie shook his head. "Hazel, maybe, but not me."

"Why not?" I asked.

He hesitated, and then said, "It would seem that the fire a year ago did some…permanent damage. I can't exert myself, or…well, I might choke."

Hazel's eyes widened. "You didn't tell me that!"

"I didn't want you to worry," he said. "I'm okay most of the time."

But Hazel burst into tears. Timmy kept saying "Shh" and "It's okway, pwincess" quickly.

"It was my brother who did that to you," she sniffled, looking tearfully at Charlie.

"It's not your fault. And I was delicate anyway, I probably couldn't have been a guard even if he didn't," he assured her.

"Hanswo…" Timmy warned, glancing at a nearing assassin.

"Come on, guys. We better go home." I prodded them, and soon we were back at the rich apartments again.

Hazel was still sobbing when she entered her house. I flinched when I heard from the inside, "What are you crying for, dummy? You think that shot two months ago still hurt? Want another punch?"

I barely controlled myself from going in. Charlie looked sorely tempted too, but stayed put. "I guess she'll go to the guards next term in January," he said, almost whispering. "It's her way out, and I'm not taking it from her, sick or not. Violet will be there to look after her, and…well, who cares if I'm alone again?" he said furiously to himself. "At least she'd get through it-"

"Charlie," I said. "You won't be alone. That's a promise."

"The knwight nweeds wescuing too, sometwimes," said Timmy knowledgeably. He gave Charlie a big hug. "It'll bwe okway."

**Wow….the last week ended more depressing than I thought. Oh well, that was a loooong chapter. **


	35. November at Age 10

**WOOHOO! OVER A HUNDRED REVIEWS! *happy dances***

**Lucy—That's a great idea! I'd love to see a pic of Kayley. I added new details of her description (and about everyone else's as well) in my profile. **

**I kind of have a lot to catch up on with school (I have LOADS of homework) so expect updates to be kind of infrequent. I'll try to do that 'Every Friday' thing, but even that might be a little shaky. Oh well; I think this chapter might satisfy some of you, anyway. ;) *cough* Whateva, you can stop threatening me with a pointy stick now *cough***

The Month of Storing (November) Age 10

Week 1

It's been raining a lot, which matches my mood perfectly. It's been awful. I'm getting mocked loads – even more than Kayley when people thought she was a spy – and I'm kind of having a hard time cheering up. It's just…I haven't felt so gloomy since I heard that Summer died. There's like a weight in my shoulders, and I can't get it out. But I'm trying not to show it, for everyone's sake. Razor's getting teased too for being friends with me, and though he can cope with it better than I do since he's used to it, I think he relies on not letting the teasing get to me. Julius and Juliet's been pestering me a bit with asking if I was okay, and Kayley…well, we haven't forgiven each other yet, but I guess we get along.

There's another reason why I try to cheer up, too. Things have been strange lately. One is with my parents—I think they're hiding something. Once at dinner, they were asking me if I was okay, how were classes, the usual parent stuff. But one thing I didn't want them to ask was how I was in lunch. I didn't want them to know how much I was getting teased: Mom would only freak out and tell Jacques, which would brand me a loser for life. You know, I'm starting to get how Brynn felt when she was being bullied by Harry. Anyway, instead of lying (which I hate to do and am terrible at), I sort of try and avoid their questions.

So while we eat, I try to think of something to distract them. It's worked a couple of times, but a recent thing worried me. "So," Mom began, "Are things okay at school?"

I gulped down a bite of a sandwich and water to try and think of something. Then an idea popped up; something from last month which I've kind of been wondering about. "Speaking of school, you mentioned Marie taught you, right?"

And just like that, they both stiffened in their seats. I blinked. That wasn't what I was expecting. "Yes," said Dad carefully. "How did you know that? Did Marie tell you herself?"

"Um, Mom mentioned it last month. Like, when Marie commented she was getting good, she said that she learned from the best. So, was she like a teacher or something?"

"Not exactly," Dad began, but Mom shot him a look. "Actually, she sort of was."

Suspiciously, I said, "I never heard of her being a teacher."

"It's not something someone probably talks about with kids," Dad lied sleekly. He's really good at that, but what he said before kind of made me skeptical on what he's saying. "Would you like someone that could've given you extra homework or something? Really, every time I pass an old professor I try to hide just because I'm scared of getting a detention." They both forced laughs.

But pretty soon, they saw that I wasn't buying it. Dad bit his lip and looked at Mom, like saying, _Should we tell him? _

Mom's face simply screamed, _NO!_

"Ahem, I'm still here, ya know," I said, waving at them. They both looked at me.

"She was a sort of special teacher," Mom explained. "I mean, she usually didn't teach people. But Kanrik, er, sort of asked it as a special favor."

"Why? Couldn't you have gone to a normal class?"

She coughed. "I kind of arrived later than usual. Anyway, I needed more assistance than most thieves since I wasn't actually born one."

"She needed all the help she could get," Dad added. "Including mine." He flashed her a smile, and she grinned.

But somehow, something didn't seem right. I could sense he wasn't lying – I guess truth-speaking isn't that useless after all – but there was a piece of information that didn't fit. Why did she need help? Even if she did run away from home and might have needed to learn the basics, she's a brilliant thief. Okay, I'm not saying that just because she's my mom. She's a Master Thief and in top ranks; Kanrik gives Dad and her the most dangerous missions. Well, at least he used to. I think he's keeping an eye on them now because of me.

I was about to ask a question, when Mom said sternly, "Did you finish your asparagus?" I shut up, not wanting to be interrogated about that. Then I'd have to admit and I 'liberated' it from my plate and tossed it out the window when they weren't looking.

Another thing is the lessons. They are so weird! I mean, now we're talking about superstitions, which includes death omens and stars and a weird thing called Karma. I guess they don't count as strange, but they actually kind of scare me.

"Pirates, and thieves in general I guess, are really superstitious," he was saying. "That might have something to do with us having a big chance of death, and since some aren't that very good, we're worried on where we'll end up. Most of us probably think it's actually below, probably because of all the things we stole. But it doesn't depend on that, you know. It probably won't matter how you made your living; it'll be how good you were, how kind, your good deeds."

Unexpectedly, my mind flashed to that near-death experience over a year ago; when I thought I was in the brink of something. I remember I felt that everything was cold, but I was floating upwards, maybe to somewhere better. But then, there was something holding me down. Mind you, this was before Razor giving me that fire potion thing. It was like I had some unfinished business to do before I was allowed to go, and it anchored me long enough for Razor to revive me.

Kind of creepy. Like, what if this hand pulled you down when you're about to go upwards and said, _You forgot to do your homework! You're not allowed to go up yet!_

"Is there any proof of this?" Kayley asked, interrupting my thoughts. All of us stared at her.

"No," Jacques said.

"Then why are studying this? If it's all a bunch of baloney, I don't think we need to learn about good luck charms and all that garbage." Razor's mouth dropped open, and I didn't blame him. Kayley devours lessons every time Jacques gives them. She never called one 'a bunch of baloney.'

"It's in the curriculum. Believe me, I'd change it if I could—you don't know the number of people these beliefs scare. It gets quite annoying when you try to urge your crew to stop 'looking for cracks that break mothers' backs' and get a move on." Jacques smiled slightly at the memory. "Still, like I said, a majority of the Thieves' Guild wants people to be aware of the, er, dangers."

"Besides, loads of these things _are_ real!" Razor said eagerly. He liked this lesson; there was nothing physical you had to do in it. "Karma is-"

"Karma is _not _real," she snapped. "I should know."

"Karma?" I asked.

"It's kind of like you do a bad deed, it'll get you back for it," Julius explained.

"Actually," said Jacques, "It's when you commit a wrongdoing and it comes back to haunt you."

"That's what I just said," Julius muttered. "Only in fancier words."

"But why don't you believe in Karma?" Jacques asked. "A great many people do, and even I don't find any reason to not-"

"Because it's ridiculous," she interrupted. "If you do a bad deed, somehow or another you get punished for it; but that's only part of what Karma is, right? If you do a good deed, you somehow get rewarded. That's never happened to me."

"Probably because you spent all your good luck killing little kids," I said under my breath. But loud enough so she can hear me. She glared.

"All right, enough," said Master Jacques. "We haven't discussed the solid rain yet."

"What's that?" Juliet asked.

He rolled his eyes. "I'll tell you if you stop interrupting, Miss Juliet." She frowned. "As I was saying, the solid rain signifies doomsday."

"Solid?" I asked. "Isn't that like hail? So if it hails it's doomsday?"

"No," answered Jacques. "Solid rain is when much larger and bigger things fall on your head."

"Like…giant candy?" Julius asked.

"No!" he said angrily. "Think bucket-sized. And it's not exactly solid—more like gooey clumps that will make you sink into them and suffocate you."

"Like cakes!" Juliet suggested. Jacques rolled his eyes.

You know, sometimes I think he's a bit unfair with them. I mean, sure I could understand when they were seven, but they're not just hyper balls of pure energy anymore. Julius is the strongest fighter in class, a great protector and hoarder—I think he'll be one of those tough guys who takes down those big guards when he grows up. And Juliet has more common sense than all of us put together. She'll probably be a great strategist one day. Combine them, and they'll probably be unstoppable. But I don't think Master Jacques could see that.

Week 2

I hate Masila. I hate her, hate her, hate her. Especially after what she did today. I mean, if she didn't get all interfering and stuff, everything might have been okay in the end—people might even have stopped suspecting me as a spy. But noooo, she just had to have the last laugh. I guess that's what comes as being an evil villainess. Anyway, I'm going to fast again; let's start from the beginning.

It was just going to be an ordinary class day. We were talking a bit more about divination, stars, and astrology, which was seriously lame. If we wanted learn about those sparkly stuff in the sky, then we'd have gone to Shenkuu or Virtupets or whatever weird country that thinks those shiny balls are actually useful. But we got a bit side-tracked with the Karma thing again.

"I told you, it's not real!" Kayley snapped.

"Yes it is!" Razor insisted. "Yesterday, I stepped on a petpetpet. Today, I had a bite mark. Look!" he said, holding up for everyone to see. "It's the exact shape I squished the poor thing into, and the bite is definitely from one of its kind that wants to avenge it!"

"Vengeance is true," Kayley said. "Not Karma."

"Still. A bug bite! I rarely ever get bug bites. Hey, maybe it's actually the petpetpet's ghost, coming to haunt me in its squished form. Maybe it sloshes around now, flat, one of its little legs twitching like the last time I saw it…"

"Please don't," Juliet said, looking a little green. "I hate thinking about innocent creatures dying."

"And I'm sure you haven't squished any yourself," said Jacques jokingly. I don't think he noticed Juliet's hurt face.

"Hanso…" Razor begged, probably coming to find another supporter.

I patted him on the back. "Look, buddy, you might have been a little short on bug spray. Much as I hate to agree with Kayley," with that, I shot her a glare, "I don't believe in Karma either."

"I'm of that opinion as well," said a voice near the doorway. We looked up to find Kanrik, arms crossed, leaning against the doorway. We gaped at him. It's been a long time since he's visited our class specifically, not just for mentoring or whatever. "Because if you did, then you would've certainly already been punished and not let off as easily as you have been."

I frowned at him. "And why should I be punished?" The whole class giggled. I even saw Kayley putting her hands over her mouth to stifle a smile. I sighed. "Okay, why should I be punished other than the _usual_ stuff I do?"

"For one thing," he growled, "Disappearing for two months-"

"You don't have anything to prove that what I did was wrong!"

"Oh, so you could just go off gallivanting at a time of danger and that's not wrong?" he snarled.

"I had a good reason."

"Then what is it?"

I stared down at my desk. "I can't tell you."

Kanrik was about to argue more, when Jacques said, "Master Kanrik, no offence, but are you here just to berate one of my students? We really should be studying right now."

"You should," he agreed. "Unfortunately, I can't trust you to do just that." Jacques gaped at him. He explained, "There's been news of another slight riot in the marketplace. Vlade and Masila are there themselves, and I doubt you're actually going to stay here with your students."

Jacques shrugged and grinned. "I'm only twenty-five. That's still pretty young, you know."

"And you spend all day surrounded with childishness. Yes, I can see your point. Get up and join Lizzie and Peter at the front lines," he ordered.

"My parents?" I cried. "You put both of them in the front lines? Where they will most certainly get hurt?"

"They're our best ones," he said.

"I'll make sure they're okay, Hanso," Jacques assured me. He took off out of the classroom in a flash.

"And you?" I shot at Kanrik. "What are you going to be doing? Hiding down here while the rest of the Guild fights above?"

He looked daggers at me, and I knew it was probably best not to insult the Guild leader in the future. Still, _both_ my parents! What if they both got injured? I'd really hate it—I hate seeing them have wounds or whatever. Though it's stupid, I always liked thinking of them as indestructible. Besides that, they'd have to get out of the Guild for a few months, and there goes my last unconditional defenders of me not doing anything wrong.

Plus, they'll probably be too weak to prepare anything but asparagus.

I glared at Kanrik. It wasn't fair. He was punishing me for trying to get help, and he didn't even know it. I was furious, until he replied, "Of course I'm going up there. And you are too."

"What?" we all gasped.

"I need to keep an eye on…some of you," he said, giving an unmistakable glance at me. "Besides, you all have been very resourceful in the past. Every year so far, you have been promoted again and again. The Guild could really use some help for now." He was saying this calmly and invitingly, but I picked out the truth. I knew Kanrik: he would never allow us to get in any danger unless we were totally desperate. Which, I guess we are.

"Okay," the twins said together. Razor nodded.

"Better than studying Karma, anyway," Kayley muttered. I just shrugged and stood up. I couldn't wait to go on a field trip—I haven't been allowed outside for weeks. But my whole demeanor changed when, while we were going out in the hall, Kayley sang, "Do you know what week of the month it is?"

I inwardly groaned. Week two: Brynn's in danger again. It's sad, I used to really like her patrols because it's one of the only few times I get to see her, even though it pretty much always ends with me in jail. But now I can't even do that, and whenever she has to go around the streets I couldn't help but remember that Masila knows who she is. And that she'd threatened to kill her if I do anything to help the Guild.

When we reached the square, it was crawling with Assassins. It was weird, too. There actually were some grown-up guards going round the streets where Brynn and Violet weren't stopping by, but they were absolutely no help—they didn't know who to arrest, and in the end just watched the fight so that they could carry the loser off to jail. It was horrible. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw one of Masila's cronies hold a knife to Mom's throat, but he was quickly pushed away and slammed by Dad.

"Long distance, kids," Kanrik ordered. "We don't want to get too close."

"How will we hit them?" Julius asked. "There aren't any bow and arrows around."

"You won't hit them," he said. "You're going to stay in those trees and _observe._" Most of us complained at that. "You are still children, and have already conquered many trials. The last thing you need is more danger. Your job is to find any particular strategies that the Assassins are using and inform me about it so I can put a stop to them."

"But-" I began.

"No griping!" he said.

"Even if we-" the twins started.

"Not even then!"

"Maybe if-"

"I mean it!" he sneered. "You are not to set one foot out of your hiding place. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Master Kanrik," we all said in subdued voices.

"If you need me to know anything, signal me with something red," he said. "It's not a common color this time of year. Look after each other, all right?" We nodded. He then punched the nearest assassin and was off to fight other ones.

"Well, this is going to be boring," I remarked, starting to climb the tree. I gave Razor a hand—he still isn't very nimble yet. But Juliet, Julius, and Kayley managed to get up just fine, and we didn't have any problems besides the brambles scratching us. In fact, it was a perfect hiding place, with the branches strong and thick with leaves. It was high up, too, so I could see almost everything from up there. Hazel would've loved this. It was almost peaceful; if we didn't know that right below us there was a bloodbath going on.

But I was right, it was a bit boring for awhile. I think at one point Razor dozed off, until Kayley kicked him and nearly fell off a branch. After awhile, Julius and Juliet started bickering about who had the bigger side of the trunk. Trying to ignore them, I scanned over the crowd of thieves and Assassins for like the millionth time. I gasped.

They weren't scattered anymore. Instead, they were gathered in a deformed circle, with a person or two in the middle. "Hey guys! Guys!"

"What?" Julius and Juliet snapped.

"Sweet Fyora," Razor muttered, wiping his glasses and looking closer. But it was too far away.

"Move aside," Kayley ordered, and crept closer as far as the branch would go. Then, to all of our surprise, she took out a spyglass from her pocket and held it to her eye.

"Where'd you get that?" I asked enviously.

"Jacques," she answered. "He _is _my mentor after all, and he still trusts me. And unlike some people, I never ridicule him in public."

"But that's no reason to give you something like that," Razor said. "Those stuff cost a fortune! And since he's a teacher to all of us, it looks like he's playing favorites."

"Did I mention it's also my birthday?" she said tonelessly.

My jaw dropped. "Today?"

"Yes, oh-repetitive-one. Even though yours is the only one we actually celebrate, thanks to the Guild leader favoring you more, I do actually have a date of birth. Not that any of you would know it."

"Oh Kayley, I'm so sorry!" Juliet cried, hopping from her branch to Kayley's and giving her a hug. Kayley nearly dropped the spyglass. "It's horrible for anyone not knowing your birthday."

"Uh, that's okay," she said, prying her off. "I mean, you guys don't get to celebrate either."

"You know there's a difference," Juliet replied. There was something weird about her voice, but I didn't focus on it. "I mean," she said, as if suddenly remembering we were all there, "Like, Julius has the same birthday as me, so I have someone to share it with whether I like it or not. Razor has his library pal, this Sophia girl or something, right?"

He nodded sheepishly. "Though she doesn't exactly know I'm a thief."

Juliet continued, "It's horrible not having friends remember the day you were born!" I suddenly felt really guilty.

"Yeah, well, I don't care—I get presents anyway even if it's not from you guys, so I'm fine with that. Honest," Kayley assured her. She looked through the spyglass again. "Oh, my. Things aren't looking well down there."

"What? What's happening?" I questioned, eager for a change of subject.

"They're _talking_," she said. That didn't sound very threatening, but we all knew what Masila's voice could do; and I knew that whatever it did, it had twice the effect on Kanrik. What if he got stabbed and I'm not there? We seriously need more truth-speakers in the Guild.

"We have to help!" I exclaimed, jumping down. Kayley grabbed me by the coat, making me hang in a humiliating position with her holding me up. "Hey!"

"Shh!" she hissed.

Then right below me, Vlade appeared, chasing after this nervous-looking Gelert and yelling something about not losing valuable finds to a couple of guards. I knew him. The Gelert, I mean. He was actually this quiet guy who used to do most of the paperwork of the Thieves' Guild—I heard he had a wife and kids or something. An idea began to form in my head. Did Masila threaten him or say that her Guild would make him more rich or something? 'Cause if that's the case, it would never happen. I'm pretty sure that once the evil lady has the Guild in her clutches, she'd sap ever single penny out of the treasury and leave most of us in the streets. How could she convince people otherwise?

Duh! Her voice! I'm so stupid. Well, either that or I underestimated her. Anyway, I guess I didn't get how strong persuading can actually be until I realized that she could get anyone in her side with false pretenses. Then she'd snatch the stuff away, leaving nothing to her members but empty promises. By then, Kanrik would be dead and we'd nothing left to start over with. The only way to foil this was probably to get the reluctant assassins to realize they were making a huge mistake. But how was I supposed to do that?

"Neopia to Hanso!" Kayley said, wriggling me a bit. She was nearly slipping from her branch, but Juliet was pulling her steady. "You should really lose weight," she snapped at me.

"Sorry," I said, climbing to a nearby bough. "But we really have to help Kanrik."

"But how do we do that?" said Juliet desperately.

"Kanrik's right that we wouldn't stand a chance between short-distance weapons," Julius added. "I don't think even I could hold my own against Vlade or Masila or whoever is down there. We need to throw something at them somehow, but we don't have a bow and arrow, a slingshot would be too tiny, and throwing it would just be too weak."

"I think I have an idea," said Razor unexpectedly. We waited for him to share it, but he added, "I need to talk to Kayley about it quickly to see if it would work."

"How come?" I asked, a little hurt that he'd go to her.

He stared at me. "Well, did you read 'Molypher the Garage Mynci's Guide Version 2.0'?"

"Uh….I guess you should talk to Kayley."

After a few minutes of talking quietly, she raised her eyebrows. "That might actually work. In fact, I'm sure it would." She straightened up and looked at us. "Okay, people, I have jobs for all of you. Julius, can you find some sort of bendy plank, nails, and rope? Juliet, I need you to find a barrel and roll it down here, pronto. And Hanso, get some cake. Preferably strawberry."

"What?" I queried. "Could you repeat that please? Because I thought you said-"

"Cake," she snapped. "Strawberry. Now go!"

I was in a bit of a daze, kind of unsure on what I was supposed to do. I mean, cake? Am I seriously supposed to collect a pastry? Don't get me wrong, I don't think bad about sweet stuff. The twins' candy would've been enough to prove that; throw in Marie's happy cookies, and sugar has my undying respect. But a normal one from the cake stand? Was 'cake' a code word or something?

I just shrugged. I really didn't know—I guess that's what caused me to steal the cake a bit sloppily. Whatever the case, I heard a familiar voice behind me say, "Put your hands up!"

I blinked and turned around, seeing Violet scowling at me with her arms crossed. That really wasn't the time, but the Tradition flashed across my mind. If her father pulled her back from the Guard, she'd have to be betrothed to someone in five years. It made me feel sorry for her. Sure, she's annoying and betrayed Brynn, but no one deserves acting as a servant to someone for the rest of their life.

Well, except maybe Masila.

"Hi," I said, still staring at her and Brynn.

"Hello," Brynn replied, smiling slightly. I grinned, a bit cheered up. I haven't seen her in months, and it was good to know that she didn't turn all I'm-a-guard-and-you're-a-thief on me again. Though her answering me did earn her a stomp on the foot from Violet. They glared at each other.

I opened my mouth to distract them, but Violet interrupted, probably supposed to be beginning a long string of questions, "Firstly, why would you want to steal a cake?"

I tried to think of an excuse. "I'm….hungry?" I suggested, thinking that was the most obvious answer. I definitely couldn't say _Because my sort-of friend Kayley who wants to kill you told me so we could save our Guild Leader. _

"Really?" said Violet disbelievingly.

"Yeah," I replied, without any real conviction. "That is most certainly why I'm here."

Brynn raised her eyebrows. She hated being lied to, I guess. She crossed her arms and said harshly, "Hanso!"

I scrambled to find another way out—but in the end I didn't need to. Kayley had spotted me talking with Brynn and Violet; she had probably thought I was chatting with them instead of doing my job. She was _not _happy. Her face scowling, she marched straight at me, right in front of the guards. My jaw nearly dropped. Never, ever had Brynn or she met at plain sight before.

"Hanso," she said, her voice tight with anger, "We should go."

I agreed, but I can't just run off without explanation to Brynn and Violet. They were looking confused already, and I had a feeling that if we just go like that, they'd follow us. I tried to tell her so by saying, "Hold on a minute, Kayley. I'm just-" Her eyes flashed, and I realized I made a fatal mistake: I said her name. I tried to apologize quickly, but I knew that she wouldn't budge.

"Now!" she spat.

I sighed. This was for Kanrik. Besides, it was her birthday, which I've missed for like the pass three years. I couldn't refuse her anything. "Okay, I'm coming!"

She nodded once to confirm it, threw a look of complete and despicable hatred toward Brynn (she blinked, probably wondering what was that for) and walked off. I smiled one more time at Brynn and Violet, like to reassure them that it was okay, and ran after her.

As soon as we were out of eyeshot, she whirled around and placed her dagger on my throat. Just like old times. "What were you _doing_? Flirting with your guard friend while we're off trying to help the Guild? Need I remind you that Kanrik is in _mortal danger_? Maybe you _are _the spy."

"Hey, I'm sorry!" I said. "For crying out loud, I was doing what you said until the girls interrupted. What do we need the stupid cake for anyway?"

She didn't answer; she was eyeing a nearby pie stall. "I guess these will do," she said, grabbing some and shoving it to me. She took a few more batches herself. "Come on," she commanded.

"Yes, Mistress," I said sarcastically. I followed her to the base of the spying tree. Then my jaw really did drop. They were building something…and can you guess what it was?

A catapult. Really.

Razor didn't have a hammer, so he made do with whacking the nails with the side of his dagger. That worked surprisingly well. Juliet helped tie it all up to make it more secure, and Julius set it to keep it steady. But I still didn't get what we needed the pies for. When Julius said, "I think we should add my and Juliet's red candy for good measure," and Kayley nodded, I nearly went berserk.

"You still haven't guessed?" Razor said pityingly.

"What kind of heist would involve a cake?" I questioned.

He grinned sheepishly at me. "I got the idea from last week's comment. Remember, when Juliet was comparing you-know-what with cakes…"

I frowned, still not understanding, but he just laughed like it was a big surprise. "Okay, that's everything," Julius said, giving the catapult a thump. It made a hollow noise which I guess meant it was good. "We just need someone to keep a look out and signal us when to throw it."

I expected that to be Kayley; but to my surprise, she handed the spyglass to me. "What the-?"

"You're more faster," she muttered. "Besides, I haven't actually listened to a conversation of Masila and Kanrik yet. For all I know, they could be making a peace treaty. Plus you're a truth-speaker."

"But-"

"Oh, just get on with it already," she snapped, pushing me up. I quickly clambered upwards to the highest branch and looked through the spyglass. It was amazing; I saw for miles around, and through it I could see ever shade and hue of the sky. Pity I had to focus on a much less cheerful sight. I fixed it on Masila and Kanrik. Then I heard it—their voices. I looked at the spyglass in shock and glanced below. Kayley nodded, confirming that it could hear as well as see.

Staring through it again, I saw her with her hood on, smiling charmingly at Kanrik. He was more on his guard than that time in the shop, keeping his dagger unsheathed and glaring at her, but I could tell that he was weakening. If no one stopped him soon, we were doomed.

Through the glass, I heard Masila say, "Well, Kanrik, nice to see you in broad daylight once again. Last time we met it was that musty old inn, and before that it was that musty old shop, and even before, that interfering little Usul was always pawing her way around you."

"Her name is Hannah," he seethed. "And-"

"She's your friend?" Masila asked. "Or do you mean was? I know you haven't kept in touch with her for years."

"I…"

"Come on, Kanrik, you don't really want her—she was the one who ruined your chance the first time, so what if she was the one who opened another opportunity. You would have never needed one in the first place if she'd died. My plan would've worked. Except for her. And look what she's done to you, even years afterward. You could have made this Guild great, made it the rulers of Brightvale, Meridell, and maybe even the whole Neopia. But no, she's given you all of her ideas of mercy and charity and…it's despicable," she hissed.

"I hate you," he replied, gritting his teeth. "You foiled the plan. And if it worked, I'm sure I would've never made the final design—just _terminated, _like everyone else."

"Suit yourself. But you have to know I've got you completely surrounded." I watched as Kanrik and his followers - including Mom and Dad – were pushed into a tight circle by the ranging Assassins, who outnumbered us ten to one. One order from Masila, one charge, one battle, and it would've been all over with no survivors. I nearly panicked and gave the order to shoot, but I hesitated. Something told me to keep waiting.

The Assassins weren't tense enough yet. If I did it even a little bit early, someone might guess what we were doing (whatever we were doing—I didn't get it myself) and put a stop to it before we could even begin. I had to wait just up to the right moment, or the plan wouldn't work. So even if it meant agonizingly watching my parents suffer, I had to be patient.

From the spyglass, I saw that some thieves were getting restless. I few charged at the Assassins, and were quickly stopped. I bit my lip and avoided them. It was easy—loads of people obstructed from the view of their bodies. The Assassins were impatient, too, looking longingly at their daggers and then to the thieves. But neither leader was going to call the order of battle first. They were staring at each other intensely, trying to predict what move the other was going to make. Tension was at an all time high. It just needed one more thing to set it off…

_Bang! _I blinked and looked down, but my class just shrugged. Whatever made it, it wasn't us. I searched desperately until I found a huge pile of crates, which apparently fell from the nearby building. But they seemed so sturdy; they couldn't have possibly toppled by themselves, and I couldn't see anyone who did it. Was it some sort of ghost? Still, it kind of gave a good effect. Suddenly, both guilds were panicking, thinking it was time to attack each other but not starting because they didn't see anyone else do it.

I gave a thumbs-up sign, and the pie shot right in the sky, higher, then lower, then right at the feet of the Assassins. It looked like it was a gooey, messy blob that fell from the sky. And I realized what we were doing. "It's the solid rain!" One of the assassins screamed. Then all Moltara broke loose.

"AAAH!"

"Let's get outta here!"

"Solid rain!"

"Hide me!"

"It's coming! It's coming!"

"The end of Neopia as we know it!"

"I want my Mommy!"

"I'm sorry I ate the last cookie when we were five!"

"We're all gonna die!"

It was hilarious, seeing them all scramble around and shriek at every solid object they saw. One actually hid under Masila's cloak, until she kicked him away and told him to man up. Luckily, we had extra pies, and just kept the craziness up. The only thing I was worried about was Kanrik and the thieves. How would they know not to bolt, too? I put the eyeglass on and looked at the guild leader.

I never thought that he would be superstitious. Then again, I doubt that he ever thought solid rain would fall from the sky. But he couldn't afford to be panicked; instead of screaming for Mommy, he went and examined one of the pies that fell. "Red…" he muttered, and a slow smile spread across his face.

The thieves were all set to make for the Guild hideout, but Kanrik ordered them to stay. A few whimpered, but all obeyed. _That _is being a good leader, I realized. Using the peoples' loyalty instead of fear (well, for most of the time at least—Kanrik can still be pretty scary). Masila wasn't as lucky. Her Assassins were more afraid of the solid rain than her.

He turned and looked straight at me, right to the tree, and waved for us to get down there. "Hey guys, I think he wants us to meet up with him."

"Finally! Some action," said Julius. We all practically ran to the scene.

Our pies had scattered everywhere, so the ground actually seemed like covered in blood. I didn't want to think about what would've happened if the plan didn't work—then there might've been actual blood there. I shuddered and continued, following the others. Most of the Assassins were still running around, but they were too busy yelling to notice a bunch of kids.

"Sweet Fyora," said Kanrik when he saw us. "How did you-?"

"It was Razor's idea," Kayley said.

"No, I think it was a group effort," Razor said modestly. He beamed, and for a moment I couldn't help thinking about when we were seven, when Kayley had called all his plans useless. Then when we were a bit older, when Razor appeared to be wanting all the attention and credit so he could join Nort. I smiled. In a few ways, I guess we all changed.

"Pretty soon, the Assassins will start heading towards the woods to take 'shelter'," Kanrik told us quietly. "You'll be safer here than there-"

"I wouldn't be so sure," said a cold voice. Kanrik cursed. Masila hadn't run away. Slowly, leisurely even, she walked right up to a blob and put her finger in it. "Pie?" she gasped.

"Yeah," I said before I could stop myself. "That's our new motto, you know: 'Defeating evil with pastry, one pie at a time.'"

"Is that Masila?" said a voice. Or voices. The thieves had calmed down and were regrouping with big grins on their faces, all feeling victory settle on to them.

She snarled. Then, quick as a flash, she grabbed me by the coat and pulled me center to the crowd (though it was out of earshot). She hissed in my ear, "This isn't over, little Hanso. You helped. And I told you what would happen if you helped." I gasped—she was going to kill Brynn! "Fortunately," she continued, "I'm feeling generous, so instead I shall destroy your life only. I hear that they all suspect that you're a spy?" She smiled as if it was the funniest thing she ever heard.

"So?" I spat. "You know that isn't true."

"I can make it appear to be true," she answered calmly.

"And how would you do that?"

"Why, by whispering in your ear in front of the whole Guild unarmed, making it look like we were discussing the next move," she said. My eyes widened when I saw that all the thieves were staring at me. Masila smiled and gave me a pat on the head, then disappeared into the forest. Everyone was too shocked to follow her.

Week 3

The only reason I didn't get kicked out of the Guild on the spot was Mom and Dad. Kanrik was seriously angry when he saw what happened- he thought that I was the spy for sure. But it was more than that, I think. There was a look on his face that he was hurt, betrayed—again, like this happened before. It did happen before, when Masila herself turned her back and left him for dead long ago. Loads of the Guild members were stepping forward, but he approached faster than any of them.

What he would've done, I don't know. But the next second, Dad appeared by my side. "Is there a problem, sir?" he said in the same respectful tone he always gave Kanrik, though now there was a steely edge to it. "You aren't actually going to punish my son just because she approached him. We don't even know what she said."

"She said enough," Kanrik muttered.

"She could've been threatening him for all we know," he said. He looked at me, and I nodded. "See?"

"But how can we take his word for it?" he asked as if I wasn't even there. Which hurt, because once upon a time he would always ask my opinion before anyone else.

"Why wouldn't we?" said Dad indecorously. "You're actually gonna take the word of her instead of a loyal guild member-"

"Who disappeared for two months?"

"Liz and I have no problem about that," he snapped. I looked to him in surprise, and he added, "Well, a bit of a problem, and if he ever does that again he's going to wish he'd never been born. But all's said and done, and this is no time to use that as a reason."

"There are plenty of reasons why he would be the spy," Kanrik said. "And plenty of reasons why I believe he's so. His odd friendships with _guards and rich kids_, for example-"

"There's nothing wrong with that," said Mom, crossing her arms. "Besides him going in a fire after them, there's no problem."

"_Really_?" said Kanrik, giving her a meaningful look.

"Really," said Mom, staring straight back at him. "And if you expel him, then I'm afraid we'll have to turn in our resignations, too."

"Quit the Thieves' Guild?" Kanrik scoffed. "You'll be back to nicking stuff in weeks."

"Quit the Thieves' Guild, maybe," said Dad, "but not being a thief. There are _other _Guilds we could join. One in particular, actually."

"We know we're some of your best agents," said Mom. "And that you would _not _want us to be your enemies."

Kanrik paled. They were actually threatening to become Assassins. "We don't want to be your enemies, too," Dad supplemented. "We both know you're a much better leader than Masila or anyone else, we've been with you since almost the beginning of your settlement in Brightvale, and we've proved time and time again that we're loyal."

"But before we're thieves, we're family," Mom finished.

Kanrik, and the rest of the Guild for that matter, glared at them. Then he sighed. "Fine. But keep your son under control at all times. And if I ever find some substantial evidence that he really is a spy, then-"

"We'll be punished, blah, blah, blah," said Dad. "We get it." I guess I can see why people say I take after him.

I'm still in. But sometimes I wish I wasn't. Because now the way they tease me have gone to an all time cruel, confirming that I was evil and destroying the Guild from within. Nort actually cornered me one day and was berating me about it. "Come on, just tell the truth and get it over with," he said. "Or are you worried about your parents? Don't worry, I'm sure they won't be punished. Much." He laughed. "Anyway, we always thought you were weird, conspiring with those guards and 'pretending' to be friends with them. We even heard about the first time you met Kanrik, when you threatened to overthrow him-"

"It was a joke!" I snapped.

"Of course it was," he said. "And it's not like you have anything against most of the members, getting quite a few demoted using Kanrik's favor including my father. It's pretty satisfying, actually, seeing him turn the tables on his old 'favorite'..."

I was about to say something, when I paused. It wasn't worth it—he'd get me back with another jibe. So I stayed quiet with a sullen face as their insults continued on. The problem was, the sullen face didn't disappear after we had to get back to class. I'd just stare at Jacques with a blank expression. I did answer questions and give demonstrations, as usual, but I never looked happy about it.

Jacques asked me a few times if everything was all right, which I would reply yes, of course it was, because if I ever said something different he'd inform my parents, and they'd probably get mad and quit to Guild. No way was I ever going to join Masila, whether I get tossed fruit at in lunch or not. Besides, I could tell that he never really means the question. Jacques still treats me fair, he's still nice, but every time he looks at me there's this bit of mistrust in his eyes. He's not the only one. Kayley won't even look at me; she's always lost in thought about something. Razor still smiles and chats, but there's this nervousness that didn't used to be there, like he was near someone who could be dangerous. And Julius is always a little cautious around me.

In fact, I'd just about thought that everyone hated me. I always delay going to the cafeteria for as long as I could, stalling in the classroom. Jacques had stopped waiting for me to leave and just tells me to lock up when I'm done with whatever I'm doing. One of those times, I was staring at the map again.

"You always seem to be staring at it," a voice said, and unsurprisingly, it was Juliet. She looked at me, concerned. "Why aren't you out at lunch?"

"Why _would _I be in lunch?"

"'Cause it's the most important meal of the day," she announced.

I chuckled. "I thought that was breakfast."

"It is," she agreed. "And lunch, and dinner, and all the snacks in between."

"You know, I always thought you'd end up chubby with all the sweets you eat. How'd you manage to stay fit?"

"Exercise," she said, seemingly exhausted. "Lots and lots of it. Mostly combat with Julius, but seriously, I can barely compete with him. Brains over bronze with me, remember?" She sighed. "Really, though, why aren't you going out?"

"Everyone hates me out there. Plus, I'd be tortured again my Nort."

"I don't hate you," she replied. "Neither does Julius, he's just being careful. I keep telling him it's stupid, since he doesn't have anything to be careful about."

"But I thought I'm some evil mastermind spy or something," I said.

"You're not," she said, with unexpected anger and certainty in her voice. "They could tell me that all they want, but you're not the spy. I'll never in a million years think so."

"Why?" I asked, surprised.

"Are you serious?" she said. "Because I've seen what you do. When you see trouble, you help, whether it does you good or not. 'Cause you don't let differences tell you what o do. 'Cause you helped me and Julius once, when we were fighting. And because you're my friend. I'm the type of person who, whether you like it or not, will never leave you alone."

"But…why?" I repeated.

"One friend can make a big difference. Don't forget that, okay?" She turned to leave. "Oh, and you seem awfully sad lately. I miss your smiles." She gave me one of her own and left.

That might've cheered me up. It really might have. Juliet's no persuader, but she definitely has a talent for lighting up the day whenever I'm gloomy. But then, of course, something had to get me back to my foul mood again. While I was turning to leave, I heard a conversation right outside the hall. And as any thief would do, I eavesdropped.

"Sir, I have a proposition for you," said Nort's voice.

"Listen, kid, I'm a bit of a hurry here." Kanrik sounded a bit panicked, like there was something urgent that he needed to do.

"But it has something to do with Hanso!" There was a short silence, and I tensed. If he was going to say something fake about me, I was going to burst out of the classroom and kill him.

"I'm listening," said Kanrik.

"Well, you know how Master Jacques's class got to choose their mentors first?" he said. "And Hanso became your apprentice?"

"He's not my apprentice," Kanrik snapped.

"Well, sir, we all know he's a spy-"

"Does this mean you have proof?"

"Um, no," Nort admitted. "But it's fairly obvious. Anyway, it's a bit of a problem that you have to spend time with him when you teach. That'll be when you're most vulnerable—you don't know when he's going to stab you in the back. So, what I'm suggesting is that you choose another kid and give Hanso to someone…tougher. Who'd discipline him, I mean."

"I doubt that anybody can discipline him," Kanrik replied.

"But at the very least you'll be safer," Nort pointed out. "But I'm not saying that you should stop being a mentor. There are loads of talented kids out there who could take over the Guild when you're gone. Namely, me." I nearly opened the door and screamed. That lousy little social-climber!

"Nort," Kanrik said in a tired voice. "Firstly, I never said that he was going to take over the Guild when I'm gone. Also, I don't know if I can switch him. His parents would definitely complain."

"But what if I find proof that he's a spy?" Nort asked.

There was another short silence. "I'll think about it," Kanrik said. Those words are still ringing in my head.

Week 4

Nort's mocking was worse than ever. He kept jumping at me from random places, wanting me to admit that I'm the spy. Sometimes I just wanted to say that I was, just so that he would leave me alone and I would get some peace. But I wouldn't—that would get me _and _my parents in trouble. I couldn't risk that. I also couldn't talk back to him anymore. It might sound weird, but I've sort of lost the will. I just let them keep going and just tolerate it in the inside.

Juliet was still my friend, much to my relief. But I can't talk with her much. I overheard her and Julius having a huge argument about it, and that she nearly slapped him again (but she didn't—they made up nearly right away, because they didn't want another few months of fighting like last time). I figured that I shouldn't her into anymore trouble, so I only speak to her when she's necessary.

Anyway, Nort had just finished mocking me again when he got called by a teacher to run an errand. He went away reluctantly, and for once I actually had time to myself. It didn't last long, though. Kayley slipped into my table. "What do you want?" I snapped.

She looked at me in surprise. "Even when you were mad at me, you never treated me like that."

"Who's to say I'm not mad at you now?"

"Oh please," she said. "You can never hold a grudge. Except maybe for Masila."

"Did you just come here to tell me that?"

"I came here to tell you to stop acting like such a sourpuss," she said. "That's my job, remember?" I stared at her. "Look, people don't mind if I'm grumpy a lot. They think that's just the way I am—they barely even notice. But you…you're like the epitome of annoying cheerfulness. When you're in a bad mood, everyone always looks sadder. Even Juliet."

"I doubt that you ever got this much teasing from Nort," I said.

She glared at me. "You have no idea."

"Nobody really believed it was you, anyway," I said angrily. "You never did anything that made you too suspicious, while I go for two months just to-"

"Walls have ears, and we're in a crowded lunchroom," she reminded me. I rolled my eyes. "You never used to do that much, either. It's like we've switched places." She shook her head. "I don't like it."

"You never like it when you're proved wrong."

She bit her lip. "This is really making you miserable, isn't it?" She suddenly looked very guilty.

"Gee, you think?" I said.

"Hey, Mr. Spydiculous!" Nort called out. "Like the new nickname? You know, spy, ridiculous."

"Ha ha ha. Very clever," I said. "Not."

He shrugged. "You aren't supposed to like it anyway, Mr. Spydiculous."

"Lay off, Nort," Kayley said, standing up.

He backed away a bit, but then stood his ground. "I thought you didn't like him?"

"I don't," she said.

"Then why are you defending?" I was a little confused on that part as well. Why _was _she defending? "Unless you're jealous. Remember all that attention I gave you a few months ago?" He laughed.

She gritted her teeth. "Oh, I remember all right."

"He's the spy," Nort said breezily. "Look at him, all suspicious and unthief-like, actually making friends with guards and rich kids-"

"For your information, he's the best thief in our class!" she snapped. "And he's not a spy."

"What makes you so sure?" he asked, smirking.

And. She. Cracked. "Because _I _am," she snarled. Then she gasped, horrified, her hands over her mouth. She was definitely not supposed to say that. We all stared at her, not even Nort making a sound. Then, while we were all stunned, she ran away. Just like Masila did.

**Well, I never said she **_**wasn't **_**the spy. :) **


	36. December at Age 10

**Sooo sorry for the late update! Hopefully the chapter makes up for it. ;) **

The Month of Celebrating (December) Age 10

Week 1

I didn't think that Kayley would dare show up on Monday. But she did, entering the Guild through the secret entrance early in the morning, same as usual. Her face showed no emotion, looking blank and solemn as she sat down. I didn't know what to think. I seriously didn't. Or what to do, for that matter. If she really was the spy, then my name would finally be cleared and Kanrik would hopefully trust me again. But telling also meant that I'd be betraying her, the person who saved my life dozens of times no matter how annoying she thought I was. Then again, I probably wouldn't have needed saving if it wasn't for her.

There was another thing bothering me, too. _Why, _in all of Neopia, did she do it? I mean, of course Masila could be threatening her or her family or something, but Kayley honestly doesn't seem the type to fall for that trick. I'm sure that if that was the reason, she'd manage to slip me a message on what was happening.

Also…did Juliet know? About the whole deal? It sure would've explained on why she believed in me so whole-heartedly, besides her saying that it was just because I was her friend. There isn't really any reason why I should think that, but many, many times she'd let it slip that she knew about Kayley's 'deep, dark secret,' whatever that was. I always thought it was just a girl thing. But what if it was that Kayley was the spy? It would've been so wrong, not to mention dangerous, for them to not inform Kanrik about this.

"Well, at least it can't get any worse," I said aloud.

Then Jacques entered the classroom. He was frowning, as if he was trying to think of a solution to a really difficult problem. Once he banged a foot on a chair, however, and scolded Julius not warning him (which he sulkily replied that he didn't think a professor would actually bump onto a piece of furniture) he said, with a sad tone in his voice, "Bad news, kids."

"What else is new?" I muttered.

"No interrupting," Jacques snapped. "Anyway, the Guild's being put on lockdown mode right after this period; for the rest of this month and the next." All of us looked blankly at him. He sighed exasperatedly. "I never told you what lockdown mode was, did I?" We all shook our heads. "Well, we do it every time someone gets close to finding our Guild. You see, we've gotten word today from a certain person in the Guard- Sam, if you know him-"

"Sam?" I said, shocked.

"Yes," he replied. "He reported that his aunt was bothering him in the Guard, pestering him about the location of the Guild's hideout."

"But how'd she get in? She's a wanted criminal, for Fyora's sake!" Juliet exclaimed.

"Oh, I don't know," said Jacques sarcastically. "Maybe she used some candy." Juliet pouted. "You guys broke into a Master Thief cell when you were seven. She's a full grown experienced murderess, and she's already proven she can do the impossible. Her fighting skills alone would make her a deadly enemy."

"But you beat her," I pointed out. "Or very nearly, at least."

Jacques smiled slightly. "Glad to see that you have faith in my skills, Hanso. But that was actually a bit of an unfair fight. It wasn't really _me _that beat her."

"What-?" I began.

"To answer your earlier question," he said loudly, avoiding replying, "She's technically a relative of Sam's, which means she automatically gets a visitor's pass. She could go through the front door and no one would bat an eyelash."

"But-but-" Juliet spluttered.

"It'd been many years since any recent person in the Guard has seen her. Nobody except Sam or someone devoted enough to read a book about her would recognize who she really is by her face. The point is, the fact that she's going to her own nephew means that she's getting impatient—she's probably bound to attack soon. All she needs is the entrance to where it is."

"But isn't there a spy?" Kayley asked. I whirled around rapidly to face her. She was still calm, almost serene, and there wasn't a hint of guilt or anything like that in her voice. "I mean, if there really is one wouldn't he or she have already told Masila?"

"Good question," Jacques said. "Everyone here is being closely monitored. Whenever someone goes in and out of the Guild, a spell tells where his or her presence has been. If a thief has gone directly inside the Assassins' hideout, the enchantment will inform the guild leader and entrap the person until Kanrik…deals with him." I gulped, thinking about the time when I nearly went inside—the only thing that had stopped me was that I was looking after Charlie and Hazel as well as Timmy. Thank Fyora I didn't enter!

"Still," Kayley persisted, "The system could be fooled, right?" I frowned, wondering why she was asking all this.

"It would take a very clever thief to do so," said Jacques. "But yes, it can be fooled. Especially when the person is still young," he added thoughtfully. "Magic, medicine, and just about everything affect children more, but in the case of this kind it's actually weaker on them. The younger you are, the better. Perhaps that's why Kanrik suspects certain people." He turned to me. It wasn't phrased like a threat, like most people would do. It was more like a warning. _Look out, kid. He suspects you, which equals to nearly certain death._

"Maybe," I said, glancing at Kayley. I wanted to tell him who the spy really was; but I held my tongue. For some reason, something didn't seem quite to fit.

"Anyway," he continued. "Since we won't be here to discuss it next time, I'm suggesting we do our New Years' resolutions now instead of February. And let's mix it up a little- go the reverse order of last year. Twins, you start."

"Our resolution was to never fight again," Juliet said. "Aside from a few sibling squabbles, plus a certain argument on if a certain person could be trusted, we mostly succeeded."

"Our hope," said Julius, "Was to learn more skills. With candy." We all grinned at that. "And I think we have, you know. We're really good at identifying and using them at a moment's notice. But we, or at least I, um, feel sort of a little insecure about that." Juliet looked at her twin in surprise—he stared at the floor. "Maybe not Juliet; we all know she has more common sense than the rest of us combined. But me…well, I'm not so great at anything else except fighting, right? So yeah, I think I'm going to take it easy with the candy this year, to make sure I don't _depend_ on sweets to be actually good at something. You with me, sis?" She nodded reluctantly.

"Razor?" Jacques said.

"My hope was not to be popularity-obsessed again. Of course, that's worked. Nort's a jerk, and I especially hated it when he was picking on some of you guys, too." He glimpsed at me and Kayley. "And my resolution was to use what Dr. Kent taught me. And I have—you guys have been using me as a local medic."

"Hey," I said, smiling cheekily. "If I tell my mom that I have a cold, she'd lock me in my room with the shutters closed under a huge pile of blankets. Your vitamins are a lot better."

"I kinda want to be better at dependability," Razor confessed. "If there's something urgent going on, I really doubt that I'd be anyone's first choice on being asked for help, unless it's with _codes_ and stuff." He had a sly grin on his face; I grinned, knowing that he was hinting about the letter that I stole from Jacques. The teacher himself frowned confusedly. "That's my resolution. My hope's that you guys won't get bullied next year. Better me than you."

I started, "Don't say that-"

"Hanso, we were miserable when you were in a funk. No one notices when it's me." Strangely, it echoed what Kayley said last month—about how no one really cared when they accused her about being a spy, but when it's me it's suddenly an important topic. It made me feel guilty. Maybe I _was_ a bit too used to getting the spotlight.

"Just because no one seems to notice," I said firmly, "Doesn't mean no one cares. It especially doesn't mean that your feelings and stuff don't matter."

He shrugged sheepishly. "I still mean it, though."

"That was a good one," Master Jacques commented. "Let's see. The twins, Razor…it's Kayley next, right?" He turned to her expectantly.

She bit her lip and looked nervous, especially when we all started staring at her. I was the only one in the class that was with her in the lunchroom – Razor was in the library and the twins were practicing somewhere – but I guessed that they had probably heard what happened from some source or another. Thief training is just like any other school: Rumors spread like fire.

She twisted her hands and rocked backwards and forwards on her feet slightly. "My resolution and hope was to stop being a jerk," she said in a quiet voice. "'Cause I was usually so, well, mean to all of you guys. Ignoring most of your opinions. Being controlling. And _hating _competition." She glanced at me. "I really wanted to fix that." I noticed the –ed in the end.

There was a long silence. After a bit, Jacques pressed, "And _did_ you fix it?"

She hesitated at first, and then opened her mouth to answer. Then the door slammed open; Nort and Kanrik entered. "That's her," said Nort triumphantly, pointing to Kayley. "That's the spy."

I wanted to crush him like a little bug. Sure, I wanted the spy to be found out, but not like that. She would've been totally humiliated, on top of what punishment Kanrik would give her. I turned around to see her face, trying to give her a comforting look. Then I blinked. She seemed so…relaxed. A lot more relieved than before Kanrik came in. Relieved to be found out and to tell the truth? I doubted it. Something else was up.

"Wait," Jacques interrupted. "You're telling us that _Kayley's _the spy?"

"Apparently," Kanrik replied. "Nort got out of class this morning and asked to see me, claiming that he had information on who was leaking out data."

"I've got proof," he said excitedly. "She admitted it to everyone in the lunchroom. Ask any of them! You can even ask Hanso!"

Slowly, Kanrik's gaze went to me. There was something slightly hopeful about it. "Is that true?"

"Um," I stammered, unsure of what to do. This was the first time he'd actually asked my opinion about something in months. But I didn't want to betray Kayley, even if she was guilty.

Then behind Kanrik, Kayley gave me a barely perceptible nod, as if telling me to do it. Urging me to do it. I took a deep breath to ready myself for the big explosion. Not that I had a choice, anyway. I'm a truth speaker—and supposedly, we're all 'terrible' liars. "Yeah. I guess she did."

"See?" said Nort, smirking at her. "Little Miss Secretive's been the traitor all along-"

"I don't believe it," Jacques interrupted firmly. He strode over to her. "She's been my student for nearly four years, and the one I mentor to boot. She's never done anything to cross the line. Of course, she's realistic, but there's nothing wrong with that. It's one of the best things about Kayley- you can't arrest her for keeping a few secrets!"

"Of course, Jacques," said Kanrik dryly. "We all know your taste for _realistic _people. Yet some would use the adjective _pessimistic, _from what I heard." Most of the class had no idea what he meant, but I did. Caylis was _very _realistic. Jacques turned red, but he held his ground.

"Whatever you call it, that's still no reason."

"Master Jacques, she admitted it herself," Kanrik snapped. "She said she was the spy-"

"I said so," said Kayley, butting in. "That doesn't mean I _am._" My jaw dropped. All our jaws dropped. And again, there was that eerie, absolute silence that seemed to stretch on forever. She wasn't the spy?

Nort broke the quiet. "Liar," he hissed.

She turned a cool eye on him. "Really?" she said, as if amused. "Am I lying?" She half-directed the question to me. I shook my head—she was telling the truth.

"She didn't admit she _wasn't _the spy," Nort pointed out. "She just said that that even though she said it, that didn't mean it was true."

"What?" Julius asked, confused. Jacques glared at him, and he shut up.

"Good statement, Nort," said Kayley mock approvingly. "Fine. I swear that I am not the spy. Happy?" I strained to hear any falsehood, act, cheating in her voice. It was smooth and true. Not a hint of a tremor. Not a hint of a lie. She seriously was telling the truth. But then…how 'bout in the cafeteria? Why didn't I realize then?

Kayley read my mind and continued, "I practiced what I said in the lunchroom about five hundred times by myself. I planned and phrased it, too, so that I wouldn't actually say I was the spy. 'Because I am' is exactly the words I used, and I tried to make it as short as possible; I doubt that even the best 'truth-speaker' could detect a lie in four syllables." My eyes widened. Sweet Fyora; only Kayley could figure something out like that! Thinking back, I found that she was right. There was something weird about her voice, but I didn't notice because I was too shocked at what she said. I suddenly felt huge, hot, painful guilt. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why didn't I realize it before? As if to add to it, she said, "Plus, I also 'lied' with good intentions. A lot of people lie to cover things up because their ashamed, or scared, or just being deceitful. I did it for a purpose."

"And what purpose would that be, Miss Kayley?" Kanrik asked, with a hint of bitterness in his voice. "To be honest with you, I still don't believe completely that you're not the spy."

"Exactly," she said, in a monotone way. "That's exactly why I did it. To show how easy it is to arouse suspicion in this mess the Guild has turned to." She looked at him right in the eye, and he flinched. I knew by experience how being glowered like that could be very uncomfortable. "Do you know how Hanso was being treated like since the whole disappearance act a long time ago? People weren't just mean. They were _cruel. _Everyone was literally pouncing on him from every corner, pestering with questions and trying to get him to admit being a spy. And he wasn't the only one."

"He did deserve it," Kanrik answered. "Not telling the Guild where he went…we went mad when we were searching for him…"

She stared at the Guild Leader. "Am I really hearing this from the guy who always talked about mercy and trust? From the person who promised to be fair when he became the ruler of the Guild? From the one who said that kids should never, ever be hurt?" He winced. "Look, I can see why people suspect Hanso. And if it was only Hanso, that might've been understandable. But it wasn't. Even before he left, loads of people, grown-ups and kids alike, were treated like scape-goats. People were turning against each other, snarling at petty flaws and problems. And when you start pointing fingers, you might poke yourself in the eye." She took a deep breath. "Like Jacques said, I've never done anything to make any of you suspect me except be myself. And yet a few words, four syllables, got you, the Guild Leader who is supposed to be avoiding risk at all costs, right here in the classroom. So you think I'm the spy, right? What's your proof? Nothing. Just words out of my own mouth. And as you probably know by now, Kanrik, words are more powerful than daggers."

We were all staring at her. She never talked like this to an adult before. Kanrik was listening, actually listening, and I could tell that he hated every word. But I guess you don't have to be a truth-speaker to tell the truth—you just got to have enough guts to say it out loud.

"Impressive," Kanrik said, almost to himself. "Very impressive. In your own way, you are as annoying as Hanso."

"I take that as the highest compliment," she said in a stubborn tone.

"Oh, it was," he replied, giving me a short glance.

She shrugged. "Well, Jacques _is_ my mentor," she said matter-of-factly. The Kyrii Master beamed. "And I think you owe him an apology. In fact, you owe more than one person in this room an apology."

"Then I apologize," he said. But as a general statement. I could see that he still didn't trust me, by the way he wouldn't look at me in the eye. "And I promise things will be better. No more pointing fingers, no more mockery, no more teasing. You have my word."

"Am I still gonna get that promotion?" Nort asked meekly. Kanrik growled and pulled him out of the room by the ear. I heard yelling in the hall and, for the first time in weeks, grinned. Okay, I know it's wrong to take pleasure in someone else's suffering and stuff, but really—it was Nort!

"Ahem," said Kayley. We all whirled around to face her. She stood up straighter, and she seemed a bit happier, too. But there was something in her face that still suggested a bit of sadness and bitterness. "As for my resolution of being a better friend, I'll leave that up to you guys. _Did _I fulfill it?"

"Heck yeah!" I cried.

"Good," she said, just as the bell rang. With all everything that happened with Kanrik and Nort, we skipped my turn. But I didn't really mind; that is, until I heard Kayley's last words. "Because this year, my hope and resolution is to never _ever _do it again."

Week 2

I still felt awful about last week. Why didn't I realize it? I was just…ugh. I really hate Masila, and what she'd let everyone been through. It's been a pretty tough year, the toughest I've ever lived, in fact. If all the years of being a thief are like this….eh, I still wouldn't quit. I love stealing too much. Still, sometimes it isn't fair.

I finally started keeping track of the date- I hated Kayley telling me, "Do you know what week of the month it is?" So I pretty much knew that Brynn was going out today. And since I had nothing better to do, I just went by her post and stole a bag of gold. Not that I knew what I was going to do with it—it wasn't like I could hand it to the Guild, like I did anytime. But I figured that a few hours in a jail cell – and a few minutes talking to Brynn – would be better than nothing.

While Brynn and Violet were walking around, I just passed by them with the money in my hand, kinda flaunting it. As expected, Viola went mad and took out her handcuffs—but Brynn stopped her. I blinked in surprise. Brynn was my friend, but I didn't really think that she'd actually let me go after a robbery without chasing me or something first. Again, something was up. Joy.

"Brynn!" Violet snapped. "It's obvious that he's been stealing! He's even holding a bag of money!" I grinned, guilty as charged.

They began bickering, and so I changed my mind about the jail cell. Slowly, I tiptoed away. But I guess I wasn't fast enough, because Brynn grabbed my arm in a firm grip. She looked at me, but I saw she wasn't angry. There was something scared in her eyes. Yup, something was definitely up. Before I could ask her what was wrong – if it was that Harry guy _again _I was going to throw him to Masila and be done with it – she said simply, "I need information."

I raised my eyebrows. "Usually guards interrogate thieves after they've taken them to prison."

"Yes," she agreed. "But this isn't an interrogation."

"What is it, then?" I asked curiously.

"You give me information," she replied. "And I let you go with an important message for Kanrik, okay?"

Important message? I thought. From a guard? I didn't know what to do, or how I was even going to give it to him. But the 'let you go' part sounded good. And besides, it was important. After a bit of thinking, I said, "Sounds fair. What do you want to know?"

"Who's Masila?" Brynn asked. "What did Kanrik do to her?"

I tensed. I came out here to escape the evil lady, not hear about her _again. _And talking about her was even worse. Besides, did I hear Brynn right? What did Kanrik do to _her_? I sighed. If nothing else, I needed to set the record straight. Masila was evil, not him. Quickly deciding on what was safe to tell them, I said, "She was in the Guild before I signed up, before Kanrik was the leader." She frowned, prompting for more. "She….uh, had a habit of using people and making them do the dirty work—but betraying them should she ever lose need of them or should she get caught."

There was a lot of things I could've added on there. _She knows who you are, and she's going to kill you if I do anything to help the Guild. There's also supposedly a spy, which I thought was my friend Kayley who also wants to kill you (don't worry, she's actually sorta nice) and I tried to get Kanrik's friend Hannah to help but she isn't here and….and…_

But she said, "Okay," and that settled it.

"What's the message for Kanrik?" I asked, wanting my part of the deal.

"She's coming for him," she answered. I stared at her. It was already old news, but if even guard girls knew…Sweet Fyora, things were getting bad. "Think you can manage that?"

"Yeah," I said. I was going to the Guild straight away. "Uh, you can let go of my arm now." She blinked and looked down, then turned slightly pink. She let go, and I ran away at full speed.

When I got through the Guild entrance in the cave, I saw that everything was completely deserted. It was creepy. I mean, it looked like nobody's been here in years, when only last week it was throbbing with loads of people. Kanrik even took the trouble of adding a coat of dust to everything to fit the image. This would definitely fool anyone. Well, except for the recent Altador Cup souvenir that someone forgot to throw away.

I made my way to his office and knocked on the door cautiously. In a flash, I was pulled inside with a dagger on my throat. "Who are-" Kanrik paused. "Oh. It's you. Did you forget that the Guild was on lockdown?" he asked angrily.

"No," I said, rubbing my throat. "But I kind of have a message for you."

"A message from who?" he asked in a dangerous voice.

I glared at him. "I thought you promised no more pointing fingers."

"Who's pointing fingers?" he shot back. "I was only asking a simple question."

"Of course you were," I said sarcastically. "It's from Brynn."

"Hanso!"

"What?"

"I told you to stop talking to her!"

"The Guild's on lockdown mode," I reminded him. "No one is doing their jobs, so it's technically vacation time. So technically, that means no orders from you."

He gritted his teeth. "This better be good."

"It's not anything new," I admitted. "But Brynn said that Masila's coming for you."

"Really? I would never have thought of that. Thanks for telling me."

"Look, I know it's just a warning and stuff, but don't you think it's getting really bad if the guards know about it?"

"It's already bad!" he snarled. "I'm doing everything I can to stop it, without anyone interfering."

"Well, you need some help."

"From whom?" he questioned. "None are truly loyal to me here, you know."

"I am," I piped up. He rolled his eyes. "Don't you believe that?"

"You know what? I used to." That really did hurt; but I didn't say anything. "Go run off with your parents or something. I'm busy."

"You're scared, aren't you?" I said. "About being betrayed? Because you know how easy it is to make one little slip, and people have done it to you thousands of times?"

"I am not scared." Lie. And we both knew it.

"Not everyone's like Masila, for your information," I told him.

He snorted. "I doubt you can name one person who'd come to help me in a moment's notice, who never ever betrayed me—and don't use yourself as an example."

"Hannah," I said unblinkingly. Because even though it's been months and months, I just knew that she really was going to help. She wasn't going to leave us alone. Yeah, I know it's stupid—but I still had a bit of faith in her.

"Hannah? What do you know about her?" Kanrik said bitterly.

"I know she's your friend."

"Was, Hanso," he said. "One thing Masila was right about is that we hadn't kept in touch."

"Still," I said. "Once, I haven't seen Brynn in like nine months. And she still greeted me like nothing had happened."

He shrugged. "But you were only pretending to be her friend. It's not the real deal, is it?" I didn't answer—one lie and that'd be the end for me. "Anyway, Masila doesn't know where the hideout is, like you probably know. The last one was in Terror Mountain, and she can't use that one against us anymore. Just get out; I have enough to worry about without you coming in."

Week 3

It's Christmas, which meant I got up extra early this morning. No, I don't believe in Santa Claus—I just liked checking if presents had arrived yet. Really. Anyway, we had put the old tree up. It was still sad and bare, and had a meager amount of presents under it; but I loved it anyway. Quickly, I slipped in Mom's and Dad's presents. Both weren't nicked. I actually do sort of get paid with looking after Timmy (when Kanrik was captured it was like community service, but now the parents hand the kids to us to get some 'me' time). Mom got a new dagger engraved with small gems (though fake, they were still pretty), and Dad got a magnet concealed in a pencil (you don't know how useful that can be).

"Morning, Hanso," said Dad, who's usually the first to wake up. "Did Santa come?"

"I don't believe in Santa," I protested.

"'Course you don't. You just leave milk and cookies for any intruders who happen in our house for Christmas just because you're nice." I grinned sheepishly and shrugged. "So, want to put the star on top?"

"Let's wait for Mom," I said.

He grinned. "Very mature. You used to try to get the star on before I even went in—I always had to make the decorations Hanso-proof." He looked at me for a moment, and said, "You're ten years old now, right?"

"Yeah."

"Hm," he muttered. "I wonder if Liz will finally tell you…" his voice trailed off, and he looked like he was lost in thought.

"What's Mom gonna tell me?" I questioned.

He started. "Oh, did I say that out loud? Sorry. Don't mind me, I was just kind of babbling."

"You guys are keeping a secret," I said. "Is this because of the whole spy business?"

Dad got this angry, fierce look on his face. "You are not the spy. It's not fair that Kanrik accused you of being that…the intruder or whatever."

"But then, what's it about?"

He bit his lip. "Let's just say that you being missing for two months isn't the only reason why Kanrik suspected _you _were a spy-"

"Are you telling him anything?" Mom said suspiciously, entering the room. Her arms were crossed.

"Of course not," Dad said innocently.

"Is he lying?" Mom asked.

"No," I said weakly. My voice became all high-pitched. Mom glared at Dad. It's not fair—whenever I lie it's obvious, and whenever I tell the truth it just comes back to haunt me. "Stupid truth-speaking stuff."

"Truth-speaking?" Dad questioned, trying to change the subject. "Someone's been paying a visit to Marie. She's always fussed about that thing. But I never got what's the difference. It's just talking."

I shrugged. "Apparently, I can tell whether someone's lying or not, though that part definitely hasn't been working lately. And I'm also a horrible liar."

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about your nose getting longer," Mom said cheerfully.

"Though how'd you get so honest, anyway?" Dad pressed, curious. "I mean, we never really gave you any sentiments for being truthful now, did we?"

"Maybe he inherited it," Mom said.

"Who'd he inherit it from? Not from me or you."

Mom just smiled, like she had some big secret. "You never know." Mom's interesting like that. I always think that she has loads of things that she could say, but she doesn't tell anyone until the 'time comes' or whatever. Dad and I just shrugged, kind of used to it. And I quickly put the star on top of the tree by bouncing on the sofa and throwing it on.

"Speaking of Marie," Mom said, glimpsing at the clock. "I promised to come visit her today."

"Okay, Lizzie," said Dad, slouching on the sofa and putting his arms underneath his head. "You go have fun-"

"With you," Mom continued.

"Aw, come on," Dad complained. "I wasn't as close to her as you." Mom looked at him, and he stared at the ground uncomfortably. "I mean, sure she's nice and stuff, but she doesn't like me that much anyway." Mom kept staring at him. "Okay, fine!" he groaned, standing up.

"I'll come," I said.

"Absolutely not!" they cried.

I blinked. "Why? I've been to her house once or twice before. It wasn't that bad—I like Marie."

"She might have some unwanted guests," Dad explained.

"And Fyora knows you've made yourself a big enough target for Masila already," Mom finished. I sighed. "Look, meet us back here at around six, okay? Then we could go to the Christmas feast together."

"Wait, it's not canceled?" I asked.

"Unfortunately," Mom said. "I just hope it isn't as chaotic as last year. I have half a mind to not let you go."

"He has to," Dad said miserably. "He's an official guild member now—when he was younger it was optional."

Mom sighed. "Just keep yourself occupied until six, all right? I know we're usually together today, but things have been awfully crazy these days…"

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled. Great. Masila's ruined my mentor's trust, my reputation, my sorta-friendship, and now my Christmas.

"I promise it'll be different next year," Mom said, hugging me. Dad gave me a thumbs-up sign. "Just wait for a little while."

"Okay." So they left. I stayed at home for awhile, pacing up and down. But after an hour or so, things began to get creepy. It's a little weird to be at home alone. Everything always seems so much louder, darker, sadder, that you could swear that there are ghosts coming. Needless to say, I was completely freaked out, and decided to go for a walk. To clear my head, of course, not because I was scared or anything.

Darn. Even on paper I can't lie.

Anyway, it was pretty, with the snow covering the kingdom up softly like it was a huge marshmallow. For the fun of it, I just jumped up and down to squish some ice. Then I got hit by a snowball.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry," said somebody behind me, meaning it. I was about to say it was all right when I realized he had this thick, strange, and now familiar accent. "I, er, seemed to have missed. I was actually aiming for my friend-"

"Charlie?" I asked.

The Kacheek looked at me. I barely recognized him, since he was so bundled up with two coats, gloves, ear muffs, and a hat. "Hanso?" he said delightedly. "What a coincidence! Hey, Brownie, you better look at who I threw a snow ball at."

Hazel quickly trudged up to us, though the snow kept slowing her down. She smiled at me. "Hi, Hanso," she said sweetly. She looked concerned. "Why aren't you wearing a thicker coat? It's freezing."

"Oh, it isn't," I assured her. "This one's magic. It makes me toasty warm inside."

"Uh-huh," she said disbelievingly.

"Thank Fyora we found you here," Charlie chirped. "I was beginning to think we've driven you away with all our problems; especially with that measly Tradition."

"Of course not," I said, shocked. "And I'm still fully intending to help, you know. It's just…things been awfully bad last month, with the solid rain, the getting accused of being a spy yet again, thinking that one of my sort-of friends has betrayed me…" I began filling them in, and looked at me with wide eyes.

"You _have _been busy," Charlie marveled.

"Anyway, it's okay for now," I told them. "Though I wish I could find out who the spy is; and that it wouldn't be anyone close to me. Even better, I wish Masila would just disappear and end it."

Hazel frowned. "Do you think people would be happy if Masila would just go away?"

"I would," I promised.

"She doesn't seem all heartless, you know," said the little girl softly.

I stared at her. "Hazel, Masila tried to kill little kids, stab the Guild Leader, sap every single thing from the treasury, betray and leave people in the streets…"

"I know," she said. "But she must've done some good. I mean, no one's completely evil."

"You haven't met Masila," I said.

"Yes I have," she replied. My jaw dropped. "Don't you remember? When I went to that tournament and stuff to save Violet? There was that Kyrii, there…I think she called him Sam. She could've gotten through him and killed Kanrik, but instead she stopped and asked him to join. Even when he said no, she didn't hurt him."

"Well…" I said hesitantly, "I guess that's just because he's her nephew."

She looked at me, frowning. "Just because they're family doesn't mean that she's gonna have any problems on hurting him—unless she really does like him."

I shrugged. "Maybe," I said doubtfully. Then I realized something. "What are you two doing here? Aren't you supposed to stay in the rich kids' neighborhood or something?"

"Daddy's not here yet," said Hazel happily. "So I asked Mum if I could go and see Violet. Then I begged Charlie to come, and his parents allowed Mrs. Daley to take him while she's in the market. Isn't that great?"

"Jolly good," said Charlie, without any sort of enthusiasm. His smile was a little strained. "I can't wait to see Miss Firecracker - I mean, Violet – again."

"Could you come too?" Hazel asked me. "I bet you can navigate the castle and stuff, in case we need to find her."

"Woah, wait just a minute there, Hazel," I said. "Violet and I aren't exactly in good terms. She doesn't like criminals, remember?"

"Pretty please?" she pleaded. "You helped her become okay a few months ago. And you won't do anything wrong, right? So she won't arrest you."

"She once tried to arrest me for _talking _to her," I muttered, but sighed. The little princess rarely asks for anything, and since I had nothing better to do, I said, "Sure."

"Oh, good!" Charlie exclaimed. "Now, er, would you mind showing us the way? We know that the castle's over there, but we're a little lost, what with all those confusing streets and stuff."

I chuckled. "Don't worry—the number of times I've been thrown in jail there, I've practically memorized the way." We set off for the palace. After a few minutes, we were sitting in the entrance hall warming up. I kind of felt uneasy. I hate going the front way—it just makes me seem so exposed. But I doubted that Charlie or Hazel would agree to sneaking in.

Hazel went up to a Draik man, whom thankfully didn't recognize me. "I'm here to see my sister Violet," she said in a sweet voice. "With them too, of course. Could you please tell me where she is?"

He blinked. "You're Violet's sister?" I could get his surprise. Hazel was so quiet and small compared to her. She nodded. "Oh, well, I believe she has asked to stay for the holidays…she's outside, practicing her archery."

"Okay. Thank you!" she said, and skipped off while sometimes looking behind to make sure we were still following her.

"So, why are you here?" I asked Charlie. "I really doubt that you actually want to see Violet."

"It might be one of the last times I get to see Hazel," he reminded me. "Term for the guards start at January again, and though she says that she only wants to visit Violet…I think she wants to take a look around, too." He sighed. "Seems awfully grand, doesn't it? I bet she'd have a splendid time here."

"Come on, guys! Hurry up!" said Hazel excitedly. She was nearly running to the door now. We followed her.

Like the Draik man said, Violet was out practicing her archery. I saw her in the very first tournament I saw of the guards. She was not good at sword-fighting. But archery? Well…she was aiming at a couple of dummies, getting every arrow in the bulls-eye part. I started to get jelly-legged. She was absolutely brilliant, and I wanted to hide under something.

But she dropped her bow and arrow as soon as she saw us. "Hazel!" she squealed, and ran up to squeeze her. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas," the little girl echoed, hugging her back.

It looked really sweet—until Violet glanced upwards. Instantly, she whipped out a pair of handcuffs. Handcuffs! I mean, does she carry that thing _everywhere _with her? She started out towards me. "Hey, I didn't steal anything!" I said, holding my arms up in surrender.

"You're trespassing on Guard grounds," she replied.

"No he isn't," said Hazel. "I invited him here; and I came with a visitors' pass."

"Hazel," she groaned. "You do not invite thieves to the Guards' headquarters, where they'll be able to see all our defenses."

"Oh. Oops," said Hazel sheepishly.

"I'm not planning to break in any time soon," I promised Violet.

"Right. You'll just start as soon as Brynn gets back," she said sarcastically.

I smirked. "Like she'd ever allow that. Don't worry, Miss Firecracker, Brynn's a good girl and doesn't do much that will risk her job."

She froze. "What. Did. You. Just. Call. Me?" She said it slowly, menacingly, her voice tight with anger. For a second, she seemed as scary as Masila. "Because I thought I heard 'Miss Firecracker,' and the only person stupid enough to call me that is-" Then she glanced at Charlie. "YOU!"

"Merry Christmas, Violet!" said Charlie cheerfully. Before she could start threatening him again, he continued, "I love Christmas, don't you? The day when there is _peace _in all of Neopia, and everyone wishes good will to all."

"I'll show you good will, all right," Violet muttered, her hands turning into fists. "Hazel, why did you ask the two people that I hate the most here?"

"I thought that was Harry and Ebony," I said.

She closed her eyes. "Fine. The two people that _annoy _me the most?"

"I just wanted to visit," Hazel said sweetly. "I didn't want to go alone, and no one else would come with me. But if that's a problem, I think I can go…" Violet's jaw dropped, and Hazel giggled.

"Sis, you're learning how to play your cards right," said Violet admirably. "Okay, fine, they can stay. But we," she continued, directing her speech to me, "Are never going to tell Brynn about this, or anyone else for that matter. Agreed?"

"Agreed," I replied.

"Come on," Violet said, taking Hazel's hand. "I'll show you around." After awhile, it became clear what she was trying to do. She painted everything in the best possible light, from the Hall of Heroes (I looked away as we passed a shield engraved with the name 'Summer Vines') to the library ("Sophia's finished everything—now she reads in that public library at the square," Violet said, "There are loads of interesting stuff about princesses and things") to the cafeteria food ("It's okay"). I think she really wanted to impress Hazel about being a guard. A few times, it seemed to be working. Charlie just looked straight ahead, trying not to show that he was upset.

"And to think," Violet continued. "I'd been in the Guard for three whole years! Five more and I'll be completely safe from the you-know-what."

"We don't know that, Violet," said Hazel softly. "Daddy could pull you out-"

"I'm safe," Violet assured her. "I mean, he can't kick me out! Do you know how much money it took to get me in? No refunds—we'd have probably gone bankrupt if it wasn't for the neopoints they give him whenever I go on patrol. He'd have to earn _big _with his trading caravans and stuff to be able to afford it."

Hazel still looked uncertain. "I don't know 'bout that. Daddy said he has a big haul this year-"

"He says it to sound more impressive," Violet answered dismissively. "Believe me, Haze, once you get in-"

"Could we talk about that alone?" Hazel asked. The girls looked at me and Charlie, so we just shrugged and went outside.

"It's still freezing," Charlie commented dryly.

"Yeah," I agreed. I waited. He was close to a breakdown.

He sighed. "I know why you're looking at me like that, Hanso, and it's not fair. She truly should join the Guard, and I'm not going to say anything to stop her. The best I could hope for is that she won't turn into a mini-firecracker."

"Seriously, though, isn't there some other way-"

"No," he said sadly. "I either get married or sent to my daft grandmother. I don't like either choice, but that's it. The only _other _way is to completely lose the fortune and title, which I'm trying to find a way to do."

"Wait…title?" I asked.

He laughed. "Of course; the rich people aren't only rich, you know. Your family gets awarded this title of you're suitable. Hazel's is 'Lady Hazel of the Brightvale Greenfields.' Mine is 'Lord Charles of the Meridell Wood Acres.'"

"Meridell?" I queried.

"I told you I moved here," he reminded me. "Truly, rich families have completely unreasonable traditions, not the mention 'The Tradition.' If your family lived on the east side of the neighborhood, you have to live in the east side. If your old mansion had three floors, your new one has to have three floors. If your family is named after something, you and your children will have to be named after that something."

"Your family is named after something, too?" I asked, amused.

"Why yes," Charlie said. "I thought you'd noticed. I call myself Charlie because it sounds nicer, more common. There's this other Kacheek in Meridell called Charlie who owns a rubbish dump, and my parents were very displeased when they thought I'd named myself after him-"

"Sweet Fyora!" I exclaimed, looking at the sun. Or, at least where it used to be. "How in Neopia did it get so late? I had to get home at six!"

"Oh my," said Charlie. "You'll have to hurry, then. You're about forty minutes late. I'll tell Hazel and Miss Firecracker you said bye."

"Thanks!" I called, already racing ahead. Mom was not amused when she saw me, and told me that all I was eating for the feat was asparagus. To which Dad protested that it was Christmas, and she agreed to postpone the punishment until tomorrow.

The whole thing wasn't unbearable, I guess. People kept looking at me acidly, especially Kanrik, but my parents would just glare at them right back and they went away. The food wasn't half-bad, either. At least it wasn't asparagus.

Week 4

We still didn't have school today, so I decided to go hill-hiking. Why not? I did it once before, and it made me feel better. But I guess it was a one time thing, because when I looked at the view, it just got me a bit down. It's weird, thinking my seven-year-old self was lucky. I wouldn't wish I was him…I mean, I've learned a lot, not to mention made loads more friends. But I also had fewer problems. Did that sound weird?

And a bit of the mystery and stuff got taken out, too. I remember wanting to go and explore Neopia one day…little did I know, the chance came sooner than I thought. I wish I did it just for fun, not to save the guild leader. In fact, now that I think about it, I didn't even get to enjoy myself that much. A bit too busy dodging zombies and staying alive in caves, I guess. What did I get out of it? A friend whom I keep hoping would show up, but never does. What happened to her? Did she get kidnapped or something? I wasn't sure I wanted to know. All I was sure of was that Hannah left me hanging for a long time, and I just about had it.

Late afternoon, just before I was about to go down for a miserable mope, I heard a familiar voice say, "Wait up, Lil! You're going too fast!"

"Not that fwast, Kwayely," the Cybunny replied. She bounced and bounced to the top of the hill below me. I crouched down, so I was below their vantage point. "Wook over thwere! Isn't it pwetty?"

"I guess," said Kayley doubtfully. "But how many times have I told you on going too far ahead of me? You could've fallen, or hurt, or…"

"Cwaptured by guards?" Lilia giggled. "I'm okway. Thwanks for letting me go with wou. Mummy and Daddy are vewy bwusy now, with Lisa, and Kenzie, and Mikey, and Goerge, and Fanny."

"My parents can't spend time with me either," Kayley said. She tried to tone the bitterness down for the little kid's sake. "So I didn't mind taking you out. Stop mentioning it, all right? I don't mind at all, though I will have to go soon…" she looked at the sinking sun. Kayley always keeps better track of time as me. "This hill is our last before you're to run along home."

Lilia nodded obediently. Then she said, in a cute way, "I knwow it isn't Chwistmas anymwore, but I gwot wou a pwesent."

Kayely raised her eyebrows. "You didn't have to."

"I knwow," she said matter-of-factly, and then took out a tiny potion. "This wady, a pwink Ixi, came to twown one dway. It was awfuwwy expenswive, but the nice wady wowered the pwice for mew. She swaid it was a mwystewy pwotion—but she swaid that it'd help when you dwon't know who someone is." She smiled. "Wou're wooking for the spy, wight?"

Kayley gaped at her. "Yes…wow." She stared at the tiny bottle. It might actually help her find who the double agent is—and a useful gift like that is definitely rare from a rich kid. "Thanks, Lilia." Then, in a more regretful tone, continued, "I didn't get you anything."

"Oh, that's okway," said Lilia brightly. "Guess I bwetter go now."

But Kayley still looked really guilty. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she said, "Hey, Lil, I do have a present for you!"

"Really?" the little kid said, turning back.

Kayley took something from her coat. My jaw dropped. Her _spyglass. _Her extremely precious spyglass that she got for her birthday—and she was giving it to her little kid. "Look, you could see and here people from far places and stuff. I bet it'll prove useful to you; but be careful, it could be fragile."

"I pwomise I'll be vewy caweful with it," she said, tucking it into her pocket cautiously. "Thanks, Kwayely!" With that, she hugged her tightly, and skipped down the hill. It was the most shocking sight I've ever seen.

Even more shocking was, once Lilia was out of earshot, Kayley said out loud, "I'm not heartless, you know. Or deaf. If I didn't know already, I'm sure that you'd never be the spy—you're almost as bad at it as lying." She looked directly at my hill.

I sighed and slid down. "Was it that obvious?"

"Try not to hide when there's no cover, Hanso," Kayley replied with her arms crossed. "By the way, the spyglass was how I knew what Masila said to you. You gave it to me before you rushed off, remember? While everyone was straining to hear, I simply put it to my eye. That's when I realized you didn't deserve all that mockery."

"Thanks," I said gratefully.

She rolled her eyes. "No need to say that—I wasn't doing it for you. If anyone, it was Juliet or Timmy."

"Timmy?"

"I owed the kid one, by nearly killing him. If his baby-sitter died of misery, it'd probably affect him a lot, too. Besides, Lilia likes him."

"You _are _good with her," I marveled. "I mean, you gave her your birthday present!"

She shrugged. "I tend to be generous to those I like. So sue me. I'm not always a grump, you know."

"Of course," I said. "Seriously, though, thanks. That was amazing, how you stood up to Kanrik." For awhile, there was an uncomfortable silence. "So…we friends again?"

Her jaw dropped. "Are you serious?"

"What?" I said defensively. "Hey, you nearly killed my little kid but stood up to Kanrik. I'd say that we're kind of even."

She looked at me in the eye. "You still don't trust me."

I sighed. "Look, it's not that. I didn't even tell my parents where I was-"

"Not that," she snapped. "Though it's part of the reason. It's really clear that we're never, ever going to be friends. The fact alone that you thought I was a spy _twice _should have eliminated you from my 'be nice' list. And you're friends with guards and rich kids…" she shook her head disgustedly. "No way."

"Hey, you can't stop me from being friends with them-"

"I know," she replied. "But I can stop you from being friends with me. I'm sticking with my resolution—I'm never going to try what I did again. It's not worth the hurt." She turned around and stomped back, and I was too depressed to follow her.

Happy New Year.

**By the way, I know this is kinda random/late but have any of you played "Hannah's Wardrobe Adventure"? I mean, the tons of clothes I had to put on her! I could see why Hanso was really irritated. :P**


	37. January at Age 10

**Okay, I'm promising myself that I will update at least once a week. I guess I can't tell you what day it would be—depends on what events there are and stuff-but ONCE A WEEK. Still, give me a break. This is the LONGEST CHAPTER EVER. It's +16,000 words!**

The Month of Sleeping (January) Age 10

Week 1

You know that you're bored when you begin to actually _miss_ school. It's weird, but there's something wrong just sitting around with your brain dead for a few weeks. I know that the kids in the normal schools (meaning not for thieves or guards—yeah, they do exist) get like the summer off for vacation or something, but hey, all they're doing all day is Math and stuff, so you can see why they want out. Thieves, though, actually like what we're doing. Most of the time. I mean, we do Math too, but we don't focus on it much…I just wish that Ancient Languages had been cut.

Another thing was Kayley. I had to patch things up with her. I had to. I know she was a jerk, but every time she did something wrong she always made up in a double-fold. She risked getting kicked out of the Guild so that I wouldn't be miserable anymore—if that isn't being good, then I don't know what is.

Plus, I have to admit; I need her help. Looking back, I'm in the exact same position I was last year. I seriously can't believe it! By now, I would've expected that we've defeated Masila, solved the Harry problem, fixed Hazel's troubles…at least that's one out of three. Sort of. I know that the big bully's still harassing the Rebellion (you know what, that _is _a cool name), but it's not as severe with Sam around. But the Mistress of Double-Cross is still waiting to strike, and now Hazel has the Tradition to worry about….

I blinked, suddenly realizing something. Guards start training when they're seven, just like thieves. According to Charlie, he and she are already seven years old. And it's January. I closed my eyes and nearly groaned—she'd already have left, and Charlie was alone again. Just because I couldn't keep better track of the time. Kayley would lecture me about this if she was here.

I took a deep breath. Things weren't gonna fixed themselves. Quickly, I walked to the rich kid's neighborhood, which felt cold and empty and desolate. As I passed the park, a gust of wind blew the on the swing, rocking it and making it creak. It was sad…and spooky. I hurried past it, down to where Charlie's Mansion was.

He wasn't there waiting for me. Okay, I guess I should've expected that—but then again, he'd always been there to welcome me (by which I mean drag me inside and give me a plate of cookies whether I liked it or not). I hesitated. Maybe he was somewhere else—but no, Hazel's gone and the park was empty. He was definitely inside. I squared my shoulders and prayed it was either him or Mrs. Daley who would answer the door. I rang the doorbell. Then I rang it again.

Nobody was opening up. Guiltily, I felt relieved. Mrs. Daley probably took him out to cheer him up or something. I turned around and was just going to go back home when-

"What do you want, boy?" a voice asked from inside. I jumped. This was definitely not Charlie or one of the Daleys; but it still had that strange, posh accent. There was something…weird about that voice, too. It wasn't Masila-type or anything, but I sensed that there was something _wrong_ with it. I turned around slowly.

The guy who stood there could only be Charlie's Dad. He looked almost exactly like him, though a much bigger version. Like his son, he appeared to be slightly uncomfortable in his fancy suit and tie—it didn't seem to fit him. He had a roundish face. I wouldn't say it was unkind, but there was something awfully sad and weak about it. It wasn't like Caylis – that the things he'd seen were horrible – but it seemed like he went through a lot. The best way I could describe it was how Hazel looked when I first saw her; timid, quivering, and scared (not to mention ready to run off to the nearest tree).

"What do you want?" he repeated impatiently. I honestly don't know why, but his voice hurt my ears. I resisted putting my hands over them.

"Uh, is Charlie there?" I blurted out.

He stiffened. "Charles, you mean?" he said pompously. And for some reason, he said this really loudly. "What would the likes of you have to do with him, hm? Please don't tell me he's been cavorting with the wrong sort."

I flushed—I really wanted to give him a piece of my mind there and then. But I decided to play nice, just this once. Getting Charlie grounded or arrested by Mr. Daley for bad behavior is not a nice way for a first impression with an aristocrat. "Sorry, sir," I mumbled. "I guess I'll just leave then."

But before I could even walk down the steps, he grabbed my wrists. I stared at him, openmouthed. Okay, the guy went from cold to impolite to just plain creepy/stalkerish. I had to get out of there! I was just about to run when he let go of my hand. He had this shocked expression on his face, too, as if he also couldn't believe he did that. He shook his head. "I apologize, young man—that might've struck you as odd. Old reflexes, I guess…" he sighed, and had this sad look on his face again. "You really are much nicer than _some _boys in the neighborhood, you know. Don't tell me you play with fire?"

"No!" I answered quickly.

"Very good." He sighed again. "Awful, that gang who play around here—act as if they own the place. Well, they do, but only a part of it and not until they get their inheritance. I'm actually pleased that Charlie didn't join them-" Then he clapped his hands over his mouth, as if he said something he wasn't supposed to. He eyed the door quickly. "Sorry, I'm babbling again, aren't I? Now, you say you wished to now where Charlie….Charles is?" His voice went a whole lot quieter. I wondered why.

"Uh, yes sir," I said.

He nodded, and was about to say something, when a voice yelled, "DEAR! WHERE ARE YOU?" I guessed that was Charlie's mom. I pitied him instantly: her voice was uppity and commanding,

He cringed. "Yes, love?" he called.

"I need to go primping!" she hollered. "Where did you put the money bag?"

"In the cupboard, dearest," he replied.

"Get it for me!" she ordered.

"Right away! Just hold on a moment—I'm shooing this dirty little ruffian in the street." There was a cry of approval and a clacking of heels as I heard her go upstairs. Charlie's dad sighed with relief. "I'm sorry. I have to put on that I-disapprove-of-the-lower-class act for my wife, though I really don't mind. Like I said, you're a lot politer than most." He smiled, and suddenly he did look a lot like his cheerful son. "I believe he's in his best friend's house. Lady Hazel, to be exact."

I raised my eyebrows, suddenly realizing what was wrong with his voice. It seemed that everything he said aloud was a lie. It was so weird, but there was a hint of falsehood in all the stuff that he said. But it had to be the truth—Charlie wasn't on the swing, and I don't he'd lie to me. He had no reason to, plus he said I was polite. "You better go now," he encouraged urgently. Lie. But I knew it was true. What the heck was happening?

"DEAR!"

"Coming, my sweet!"

I decided I'd better figure it out after 'Dear' was out of eyeshot. Rapidly, I ran down the steps and sprinted for the main road, which I reach in record time. I guess getting chased by guards has its benefits. Walking down slowly to Hazel's house, I tried to think about what just happened. Really, what did just happen? I mean, for starters there was there was that guy's voice. I think he was being honest- again, he had no reason to lie to me, and there was nowhere else Charlie could be anyway. But all the while I was talking to him, I had that gut feeling I always had when what somebody was saying was untrue. I shook my head. Maybe it was just a temporary malfunction of my incredibly awesome truth-speaking powers or something. I didn't know.

But one thing's for sure—that guy was definitely caught by the Tradition. I haven't met Charlie's mom yet, but from how she sounded, she definitely wouldn't be the right match for him. Despite the whole lying thing, he actually seems pretty nice. But I didn't have time to think about that. Besides, he was a grown man. Sure, I try to help Kanrik a lot, but he's a guild leader and everyone's trying to slit his throat. A lord doesn't need me.

I sprinted to Hazel's manor, the wet dew making me slip a few times. It was farther than I thought, and by the time I got there I was panting. But I was on a mission. I rapped on the brass knocker and waited to be let in. When it opened, I blanched. I was so stupid. Really, I have to remember that Hazel has an evil brother.

"You," said Ebony. For some reason, his tone was more amused than heated. "I'm guessing you're looking for my little sister and her weirdo friend, yes?"

"Uh…" I mumbled, not sure how to respond to the person who nearly killed me at least twice, made Charlie sick, and tortured his siblings. Yet it was like he had a major attitude flip—at least, it appeared so. "Yeah. I guess."

His grin became wider. "Why don't you come in?"

"I'd rather not," I said, backing away a few steps. I remembered what Kayley said on the day of the fire: There could be a whole throng of guards inside waiting to ambush me. Okay, I'm not scared of them and I know I'd escape anyway, but knowing Ebony he'd make it a whole lot worse. "Can you please call them?"

"I _could _call them," he said annoyingly. I waited. "That doesn't mean I would, you know. You ought to correct your grammar. It was always your fatal flaw, ever since we met." He smirked, and suddenly I knew that nothing had changed. "Remember?"

"Oh, I remember," I said. "I remember you being pushed off the swing screaming by my little kid. And that you still couldn't manage to outrun him in a little chase a few months ago."

He gritted his teeth. "If you won't come in, then I'll just have to insist." Before I knew what he was doing, he went behind me and pushed me in. Then he slammed the door shut.

I'd never been inside Hazel's house, but I always assumed that it'd be a lot like Charlie's: Richly decorated, a bit of history in everything, and certain warmth and care that I thought had something to do with Mrs. Daley taking good care of it. But there, there was no nice housekeeper. The walls were all a cold, marble white, appearing to be made of ice. Everything seemed to be in a shade of grey or black, including the drab tapestries and carpets. Besides that were portraits of old relatives staring scornfully at the person, plus the only source of light to be a few candlesticks. I shivered, not blaming Ebony anymore for wanting to play with fire. Better to do that than to freeze to death.

A door opened, and a lady came in. I recognized her as Hazel's mom. She sure didn't appear evil, just compliant and fragile as Charlie's Dad. I hate the Tradition. Makes me glad I wasn't a rich kid—a bit weird, how you could have everything and never have to work a day in your life yet never being able to change. "E-Ebony? Who've you got there, dear? One of your nice, er, friends?"

"Hardly a friend, Mother," he said imperiously. He grabbed a coat from a nearby stand. "Mother, why does this smell like a dung heap? I thought you had already finished the laundry." I looked at him, shocked. If I talked to Mom that way, she'd have made me do it myself and lock me up in my room for a week besides.

"I had to sweep the floors-" she began.

"You have to do much better than that now that Father's here," he said. "Shall I go call him now?" Her eyes widened, but he was already saying, "Oh, Father!"

"Yes, my boy?" A large Usul called from the staircase. He looked a lot like Ebony, with the cruel and fancy demeanor and all. "Are we going out hunting again? You've gotten better with the rifle."

"Much better," Ebony agreed, giving me a wink. What was his game? You aren't allowed to shoot anyone in Brightvale or Meridell—it wasn't allowed, because are medical supplies were a bit more medieval than most and guns were too destructive. In fact, the only place I could think of people being able to use guns is _outside_ of Neopia, like in Virtupets or something. And even then it was just lasers. Rules are that you only use it to hunt if you have a permit. Not one thief complained when Kanrik said that applied to the Guild also.

Ebony's Dad turned to look at me in disgust. "I smell poor person in here. Why have we not kicked him out yet?"

His son grinned. "I wanted him to have the pleasure of meeting you."

The Usul grunted in approval, and made his way towards me. I took a few moments to study him. He was wearing an expensive pinstriped suit – one that could've fed the whole Guild for a year – and a devilish grin that made me feel like he kicked beggars for fun. So. He's the guy that Violet ran away to the guards from, and as far as I knew, Hazel did too. Imagine if he was my father? I shuddered. He definitely wouldn't be like mine; a person who'd always been there, who thought me my first thieving tricks, who'd jump right in front of Kanrik's dagger, in front of the whole Guild, just to save me. Heck, Hazel's Dad would probably stab her himself.

"Welcome to my humble abode," he said, mock courteously. "I'm sure it's much better than whatever dump you came from."

"Oh yeah, real nice place you got here," I muttered, glancing at a few portraits of dead relatives. All of them seemed to be glaring at me. I guess they wouldn't have wanted a thief in their house, either.

The Usul man kneeled down so he was level with me. "This one appears to be a bit dim, don't you think, Ebony?" His son smirked.

"What did you just say?" I cried. I was getting tempted to take out my dagger.

"I mean," he continued, ignoring my outburst, "What kind of idiot would wander in my house, knowing full well that I'd destroy any muddy commoner to step over the threshold." Again with that leering grin, but now it was a bit creepier, more deadly. "But since I'm nice, I'll let you leave this once-"

"Hanso?" A voice with a funny accent said. Charlie hopped along the steps. His face broke into a relieved smile. "Thank heavens! I was beginning to think you abandoned us again…"

"Charles," Ebony's Dad said through gritted teeth. "I don't believe I gave you the privilege to invite _filth_ into our house. You know very well that I let you in here for completely business reasons."

Charlie blinked at him. "Erm, yes sir. But sir, he's also Hazel's friend. Couldn't he just-"

"WHAT?" he roared.

Charlie realized he said the wrong thing. "Uh, what I mean by friend is just a weak acquaintance-"

"HAZEL!" he yelled. "Get your miserable face down here, pronto!"

"Yes, Daddy," she said in a tiny voice as she slipped down the staircase daintily. I was shocked. She looked awful. Well, not _awful _awful. The princess would have had to get a lot more worn to even _begin_ to look ugly. But there was that horrible sadness and heartbreak that I first saw her with, the kind that seemed to make her small and fragile. She seemed so tiny that she almost looked like a six-year-old again.

Before I could stop myself, I said angrily, "What in Fyora's name did you do to her? She's absolutely traumatized!"

"I'm okay-" she began, but was cut off with a glare from her father and brother.

"None of your business, peasant," her dad said haughtily. "Hazel, did what I hear is true? Are you actually friends with this scum?" Before Hazel could say anything, he continued, "I mean, even your sister wouldn't sink this low! Befriending someone from the poor class. Bah! You have got to be the worst disgrace in our family history."

Hazel's mouth quivered, and I saw her warm, brown eyes were glistening with tears. Charlie gave her hand a comforting squeeze, and for a bit she looked better. But Ebony saw, and an evil sneer went across his face. "Father," he began, "Though I agree she has got to be the most worthless piece of junk in the mansion, I believe that she wasn't alone in this. Someone influenced her."

"And who would that be?" his dad asked curiously.

Ebony gestured straight at Charlie. The Kacheek's mouth dropped in shock. "Ever since she'd become friends with that little pest, she's been getting…ideas. Like girls aren't just for show, as if they could be something better. Silly things like independence and rights. Pfft, Charles might be a rich kid, but he's a bad egg through and through. You know that there are always a few in the family." Again, he stared pointedly at Hazel. "And you know, Father, those rule books where _dear _sister Violet found that little loophole of joining the Guards came from his house."

His dad nodded. "I was actually considering the fact of forbidding Charles to set foot in our house again. That thought pleases me."

"Y-you can't do that," Charlie stammered, going over protectively beside Hazel. "My Father contributes a major source of goods for your caravans-"

"What are going to do to stop us from taking her?" Ebony taunted. "You can't even run a few paces before you start getting going blue. Weakling."

"That was your fault!" he snapped.

"Now, now, children," Ebony's dad said, amused. "If little Charles doesn't want to go willingly, I guess we'll have to do it by force." Suddenly, he lunged forward and grabbed the Kacheek by his collar.

Hazel let out a little scream. "Let him go!"

All eyes turned to her. "What. Did. You. Say?" Her dad said, dropping Charlie on the floor. The rich kid was panting heavily, and he actually was a little bit blue. Hazel backed up, biting her lip. "Because girls shouldn't talk unless they're spoken to. They are supposed to stay in the background and look pretty, though dear Fyora you even have trouble doing the last part." He glanced at the Kacheek again. "You know what? He is a bad influence on you. You are hereby banished from here," he said to Charlie. He turned back to Hazel. "As for you, you've been nothing but a trouble-maker since your nanny left. It's time to knock that silliness out of you." He grinned. "And your sister."

Hazel and Ebony gasped, but for different reasons. Ebony grinned in delight. "You mean-?"

"Yes, son," he said, smiling with triumph. "I'd finally gotten a big haul last year, enough to pay back that cursed debt your cursed sister made when she joined the guards. Using the money your mother gave her—see? That's why women shouldn't think. We're bringing her back." He could afford to get Violet out of the guards…? Sweet Fyora, no! And as much as I didn't like Miss Firecracker, I wouldn't wish my worst enemy staying in that place.

Hazel made a strangling noise in her throat. Both her hands were on her mouth, trying to muffle it, but the guys noticed and just laughed. "Go ahead, Hazel," her dad said. "Write to her. Warn her what's going to happen. She can't escape—and neither can you." He grinned. "You made a wise decision today, not going in the first place. Then it would've been a double punishment for both of you. Oh, and you two," he said, finally acknowledging Charlie's and my presence again. "Out. Now."

We both looked apologetically at Hazel, but we all understood that we had no choice. She gave us one last sweet, sad, smile before scampering to her room. Then Ebony grabbed us by the shoulders. "I believed my father told you to get out," he said, pushing us to the snow.

"Funny, I thought you were the one who insisted I go in," I shot back.

"And now I told you to get out."

"And now I'm telling you to get lost!" I snapped.

He just laughed. "You'll never be able to save her, you know. Not with that _weakling_ in tow. Soon, my other little sister will be joining us again and we'll be one big happy family. No outsiders this time, especially not a posh, snooty, rich-kid traitor slash outcast who cowardly let a girl give up her only chance of getting out just so he could-" before he could finish the sentence, a snowball hit him right on the face.

A bit of snow was missing from the ground near Charlie. "Leave Hazel alone," he said in a heated voice. Ebony just laughed again, slamming the door behind him.

"Well," I said, trying to cheer him up. "At least you got one in his face."

"If only I got his father," he muttered. I never saw the cheerful Kacheek so depressed. Even after the fire, he was okay with everything. Just as long as Hazel was there.

"What happened?" I said, deciding to skip straight to the point. "I mean, it's January and stuff. Shouldn't she have been off to join the guards, even if it did turn out to be hopeless in the end?"

"She should have," he said mournfully. "But she wouldn't leave me. Said that she didn't want her best friend to stick everything out alone, especially since it was her own brother's fault that I couldn't join the guards myself. It wasn't today, even. She decided it last month. When you went to your Christmas feast, Violet and her had an awful row about it. We've both been trying to talk her out of the decision ever since."

"What did Violet say?"

He shook his head. "Nothing a 'proper gentleman' like me should say," he told me, smiling a bit. "But it wasn't good."

"So let me get this straight. Hazel's stuck here, but by her own choice. You shouldn't feel guilty about that, by the way," I said. "She's technically being held captive by her family. Violet might be getting sent home soon, because with some miracle her Dad managed to find the money to pay off the debt that her tuition cost. And judging by that, we're in a whole deep of trouble."

He nodded. "Oh, and did I mention that fifteen years was the _maximum_ age for them of getting engaged? It is perfectly fine for them to do it _before_. I expect that once they have Violet properly in their keep – therefore taking away direct outside help – they'd probably start looking for suitors for them."

"Sweet Fyora," I said. I looked at his face; still sad, still remorseful. I could tell he probably hated Ebony and his dad more than any other person in the world. Maybe even more than I hate Masila. A bit weird, since he never struck me as the vengeful type—but I guess he was protective of Hazel. I could understand that.

"What's worse of all," he said bitterly, "Is that she didn't go with the guard. Which means I still have her." He looked at the protruding, mansion. In that light, it did look like some sort of evil warlock's castle—just like one of Timmy's stories. "And I just lost her again."

Week 2

It was awful to leave Charlie in that state. He's mostly happy-go-lucky most of the time, but anything about Hazel and he just goes _bang! _I guess he's a bit protective of her. It's not hard to see why, though: with her evil brother and father, who can help getting worried about Hazel? No offense to her, but she's not actually the strongest in her family. She's compliant, which is easy to understand. Her brother beats her up for no real reason, and Miss Firecracker really is a bit controlling.

Still, her mother should've done something. Anything! I can't picture Mom just standing there while Dad yells at me. Now that I think of it, I can't even picture Dad yelling at me. They're both too nice—I guess I was just lucky like that. Not many of the thieves in my class have as great parents. The twins' just mostly ignore them; Razor's mom pushed him into becoming a thief; and Kayley looks angry and lashes out whenever somebody tries to mention them. The same goes with the guards I know, too. Violet, obviously, but also a lot of others. I never knew what happened to Brynn's dad—did he leave or die (a bit morbid to think like that, I know)? Sam has Marie, but his dad got killed (at least that's what I can pick up from the golden war medal on Marie's mantelpiece). Plus, he has an evil auntie.

It's a bit sad. I have a feeling that those parents who just stand by and watch, maybe they've never grown up themselves. I'd hate to see Charlie and Hazel shifted into those categories: Ruthless and commanding or obedient and tortured. It's horrible. I'm so glad that I wasn't born a rich kid—and I'm promising myself that I'm going to help those who were. Even though they do 'explode' at anything I say.

I wonder if Brynn knows about the Tradition? Probably not. Violet's not the sharing type, and it'd be too painful to tell anyway. But I think she'd reveal a bit more of her past to Brynn eventually. They've been friends for years. Then again, that's been the same with Kayely and me (sort of) and I still don't really know a thing about her.

I was thinking all of that as I plodded through the last of the year's snow. It was all turning into mush—soon, we'd really be back in school. I was okay with it. Like I said, I was even beginning to miss it. And I think that, whether Kanrik wins or not, one way or another Masila's threat will end. Whether that means she's going to become the guild mistress (*shudder*) or be defeated is another thing.

A lot of fog swirled around me, making it hard to see. But I kept walking. It seemed like the only thing I could do, these days. I don't dare to steal, even if it's still lockdown and I'm technically allowed to talk to Brynn. I hate to admit it, but I'm a bit scared of those Assassins. So I usually go where they probably won't: the Middle Passage. I think it's named that because the alley-way is between the Thieves' Guild and the Rich Apartments, a sort of cross between rich or poor. The place where the middle class really go is the marketplace, but I liked using the path as a shortcut to Charlie's house. Old houses leaned backwards comfortably, offering plenty of hiding places should the need come. The road made out of cobblestones felt sturdy and strong. Not many people go there. I've always felt a sort of connection to it, you know? It really was my sort of place.

But I guess that day it wasn't as deserted as I thought, because I heard a creeping noise of someone coming in behind me. Before I could react, the person stepped out to the light. I inwardly groaned. It was Nort. "What do you want?" I snarled, glaring at him. We barely made eye-contact since that fiasco with Kayley. I still don't hate him as much as Ebony, Harry, or Masila, but I guess I learned that even normal bullies like him could be cruel in their own way. "It's bad enough to see your ugly face in the Guild. Are you stalking me or something?"

He smirked. "Already decided that I was someone to be feared? About time."

"Feared?" I spluttered. "Why would I be scared of a stupid finger-pointer like you? More like seriously annoyed. I'm getting out of here."

His smirk changed to a scowl. "I still think you're the spy."

"No, you just want to get promoted. Slimy little social-climber you are, you actually told Kanrik that Kayley was the spy just because she said so. You wanted to get a promotion."

"That's one reason," he said. "Another is that she's completely disrespectful. Changing the topic, though, didn't you believe that she was the spy too?" I didn't answer. I still felt guilty about that. He started smirking again. "Or perhaps you were relieved that someone else was taking the blame for you? You really are a clever little spy, aren't you? Getting an accomplice so that nobody expected it. Why, even I didn't figure it out until-"

"You didn't figure out anything!" I yelled. "I'm not the spy!"

"Liar," he replied.

"I can't lie. I'm a-" I paused. I didn't want Nort to find out that I was a truth-speaker—I'm starting to find out that the more people know, the more they use it against me. Not in the evil way, but kind of like what Mom did in Christmas. She used my obvious weakness to get me to admit that Dad said something wrong.

"You're a what?" Nort pressed. "Oh, that's right! A spy!"

"Am not!" I snapped.

"Not surprising, really," he continued. "I mean, given what you are…"

"What? Incredibly handsome? Why, thank you, but that wouldn't be a reason for me being a spy-"

"Who your parents were, stupid," he said. "Bad blood, you know? My father said that when they had you he suspected that you were going to turn traitor or something one day. Look what you've done already! Gotten three members of the Guild demoted-"

"Two of them tried to kill me," I said. "And your dad is just a slimy little nitwit."

"And your dad is an idiotic, mindless slave while your mother is a helpless, scrawny bimbo. Though of course you already knew that." I wanted to strangle him, but something he said made me pause.

"My mom is not helpless," I said angrily.

He raised his eyebrows, and suddenly, a small grin came on to his face. "Sweet Fyora. Are you actually saying that you don't even _know_? Oh, this is too rich!" He began laughing uncontrollably. I gritted my teeth, trying to calm down. "You don't know! Ha! Your parents probably thought you were too weak to handle the truth, huh? No wonder! So you're saying that you didn't know they hated each other the first time they met? Did you know that your mother and one of Kanrik's top thieves nearly had a fight to the death? You didn't know that your mother actually got that thief arrested and sent to Darigan Citadel on purpose? You don't know why it was Marie in particular who taught her?"

"She came late-" I began, but again there was uncontrollable laughing.

"She came late! Hilarious! I'm guessing you didn't know that at that point Marie was already _retired and off the Guild_? Oh, this is just priceless."

I hated him. But what really got to me was that those comments were true—I'd have known if he was lying. Did what he said really happen? Mom would never get anyone arrested on purpose, let alone kill someone. There had to be some logical explanation for this….right? I was getting agitated.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want," I grumbled, starting to leave. "Keep those little inside jokes to yourself." But before I could go, someone grabbed me by the shoulder. The hand was too strong and buffy to be Nort's. I turned around to find a huge Kougra standing over me. "New bodyguard?"

"Several bodyguards," Nort said matter-of-factly as several other people popped up. They were all huge and hulking.

"Dave likes big people," the Kougra said. He grinned stupidly and pounded himself on the chest. "Me big."

"Very big," I agreed. Under my breath, I said, "Though he obviously didn't choose you for smarts."

"What that?" he said suspiciously. I pretended to shrug.

"So, what are they here for, Nort? A big people party or something?"

"Or something," Nort replied. "Y'see, shunning you didn't do a thing, though I admit I liked watching you be miserable. Going to Kanrik didn't help either, since he would only listen with proof (as if that's important nowadays). So we're trying to beat the answer out of you." As if this was their cue, all the 'bodyguards' cracked their muscles.

I glowered at all of them, and then quick as a flash I released myself from Dave's grip and took out my dagger. "You really think you're going to beat me that easily?" I spat. "Listen, I survived Masila, Kanrik, guards, prison, and a fire. What makes you think I can't defend myself now? Sure I'm outnumbered, but I'm definitely not going down without a fight."

"I wouldn't advise you to use that," Nort said, grinning. "It would only take one injury for us to show Kanrik and claim that you attacked us. And we wouldn't even be lying." I stared at them, eyes wide. "And you know what, you're probably not going to be the only one that's in trouble. Your parents, friends, oh, and maybe that poor little kid-"

"Leave Timmy out of this," I snarled. I was seriously caught. I couldn't risk getting Mom or Dad in trouble, let alone everyone who knows me.

He laughed. "I didn't leave your little accomplice's kid out of this." I had this feeling of dread. Did he do something to Lilia?

"Shut up about Kayley," I told him through gritted teeth.

"Aw, how cute. They're not just accomplices. They're _friends._"

He guffawed, but I wasn't giving him the satisfaction of taunting over what happened. "I've not been much of one to her lately," I admitted. "But I'm definitely going to be. Because she's honestly been a good one when she tries, saving me with messes and-"

"Unfortunately, your little friend isn't here to save you now." With that, all his bodyguards slowly stepped closer to me, all anticipating beating me up.

Then they got hit by something red.

"It's the red rain again!" someone yelled. And suddenly, they all scrambled. My jaw dropped—they definitely were not the sharpest knives in the drawer. I began smiling, and turned to Nort.

He was not happy. "Get back here, you idiots! It's just some stupid trick one of the freaks from his class cooked up again-"

"Freaks?" Kayley asked, finally stepping out of the shadows. You really can't believe how well she can fit in when the background is dark. She laughed bitterly. "Are you really dumb enough to call me a freak?" She grabbed him by the collar. "I thought we settled this a few weeks ago. But if you want to do one-on-one combat, that's fine with me."

Nort started squirming, so she just tossed him out the snow. He turned back. "This isn't finished!" he yelled, but backed up when Kayley took a step towards him. Coward.

"As far as I'm concerned, it is," Kayley replied promptly.

He looked at us one last time with an evil leer. "I'd be more careful about friends, Miss Secretive. Or else they'll all end up like your little one." In response, she threw a red cupcake to his face. He ran away screaming something about the world ending.

She shook her head. "They're all the same." Then she stiffened. She whirled around and suddenly threw something that looked like a fire-orb right at me, and I ducked, wondering what was that for. Then I realized it was some sort of light—and it revealed a cloaked figure. I nearly gasped, but the size showed me that it wasn't Masila, even if the person was cloaked. He or she (I couldn't tell) ran like the wind. Kayley followed a few steps, but then realized that she couldn't catch up. "Shoot," she muttered. "Escaped again."

"Who was that?" I asked.

"That, Hanso," she answered, "Is somebody who I believe is the real spy." I gaped at her. "What? You don't think that the number of suspects is limited to people you know, did you? I've been suspecting that one for months, but the trickster slipped through my fingers time and time again. Today, I was _so close. _Then obviously I had to stop by and keep you from getting beaten up." She glared at me, as if it was somehow all my fault.

"Who do you think it is?" I asked eagerly. "Come on, maybe I can help!"

She shook her head. "Even if I tell you, that identity would probably change."

"What?"

"Never mind," she snapped. "Are you fine now? Can I finally go back to catching criminals in peace?"

"Um," I said. I looked at her. She looked paler, colder, sadder than the last time I saw her. "You didn't have to save me."

"I haven't been keeping to my resolution," she admitted. "But I couldn't just watch you get killed. Those boys actually looked like they wanted to do it, and I wouldn't underestimate Nort not giving the order to have you punched within an inch of death." She glanced at me sideways. "And besides, that was a nice little speech you gave. But it's useless, you know."

"What's useless?" I asked.

"You trying to be a good friend. It's not going to work—I already told you, we're _never_ going to be friends. Though of course I'd step in for life-or-death situations. I'm not that cruel."

"Why not?" I said. "Why can't we be friends, I mean, not why you couldn't be cruel-"

She rolled her eyes. "You just don't trust me, and that's never going to change." Before I could say anything, she continued, "Not that I really blame you, though. I do have a few secrets that I'd rather not let discovered."

"But Kayley-"

"There's nothing you can say that'll change my mind," she said, and I could tell that the matter was closed. "Now, is that all?"

"One more thing," I said. "What happened to Lilia?"

She cringed, and suddenly she didn't look fierce and firm anymore. She looked sad and bitter, frozen and cold as the snow. "Nort's dad still has some power, though not as much since we were eight." She looked down. "But, well, he was still allowed to decide certain things. I-I'm not allowed to take care of Lilia anymore."

"What?" I shrieked. If that happened to Timmy and me – if I wasn't allowed to look after him – I didn't know what I would do. "But that's not fair! We should go tell Kanrik-"

"The Guild leader has more important jobs. You should know," she said. "Besides, she was getting mocked enough for being the 'little black-hearted spy-in-training.' I did not want her to go through that."

"She loves you," I said. "I mean, she even gave you a fake potion to try and help-"

"Fake? FAKE?" Kayley cried. I stopped. I said exactly the wrong thing. "Look, Hanso, Lilia might be four, but she's not stupid. She knows what's real and what's not. That potion she gave me was one of Tarla's mystery concoctions."

I gawped at her. "The lady from Terror Mountain? But how'd she get down here?"

"Apparently, she wanted to make a little tour or something. I guess she felt sorry for Lilia, or maybe saw something in the future or whatever. Anyway, I took it to Razor immediately, and he said it was genuine. Even offered to do anything I wanted just so he could get a sample," she said with a snort. Then her voice turned angry again. "That little hill-side visit? That's the last time I saw her. And chances are, I'm never going to see her again."

"Don't think that," I said. She looked near tears. Briefly, I wondered what the little kid did to make Kayley care so much. "I'm sure we'll-"

"We?" she snapped. "You're not being very helpful, are you?"

"Hey, it's not like you're giving me information," I shot back, sick of playing nice.

"Look who's talking!" she said. "I still don't know where you went for those two months!"

"It's for a reason-"

Before I could say anything else, she shoved the potion in my hand. "Here!" she shouted. "If you want to be helpful, this is what you got to do: Find the spy. That's the only thing, truly the only thing, that'll clear my name. And for that matter, yours."

She left then, making me feel worse than ever.

Week 3

Okay, can this month get any worse? No, I take it back! Things always get worse after I say that. Anyway, as you can probably guess (or not, you are a journal after all), I just had a pretty bad day. I haven't run into to Nort or Kayley again, thank Fyora, but I keep wondering about the latter. Is it really possible that Kayley found out who the spy is? I didn't detect any lie, but she could still think it's the truth and I wouldn't notice. But I guess I shouldn't press her for any more details. I'm doing a lousy job at helping everybody right now.

And besides, she gave me the vial. Now that I examined it more closely, it really does look real. The bubbling liquid was a threatening shade of pink (don't ask how a shade of pink can look threatening), with wisps of smoke sometimes escaping from the stopper. I've kind of taken to carrying it with me, just in case I need to use it. But what would I use it for? That's what kept bothering me. So, what, do I just throw it on a random running away person and a giant magic sign pops up and says, He's the spy! Somehow, I don't think so. All I can say is that tiny glass bottle is feeling heavier and heavier in my coat pocket.

I walked around in the marketplace for a bit. I knew Brynn wasn't there, but there was something slightly comforting about seeing the grown-up guards at the castle gate, ready to protect her at all cost. Still, I couldn't help thinking that they probably wouldn't be much use against Masila. If I really do try and help, I'm sure that she wouldn't hesitate on ordering an Assassin to slit her throat. I'm sure that a member of her Guild would rather die than fail her. It pretty much equals to the same thing anyway.

Then I saw a surprising sight. My jaw dropped. Ebony's dad was crossing the square towards the marketplace, all dressed up in a fancy suit and all. But unlike Charlie or his Dad, it didn't make his look sort of uncomfortable and homey. It made him look…intimidating. He was dragging Hazel by her arm, actually trying to seem like a loving father but failing. She was obviously miserable. I wondered why—then had a feeling of dread.

I followed them a bit more. I was right. They were heading to the castle, ready to get Miss Firecracker and ruin her life forever. I knew I couldn't just walk up to them—the guy would simply call the guards and say I did something wrong. I'm well-known enough to actually get taken to jail immediately, and then it would be too late. I had to watch.

After awhile, I noticed I wasn't the only one stalking them. Charlie was going behind, but doing a poor job of it. He kept making mistakes—like, he was so intent on his target that he forgot that he could bump into people. I shook my head in disbelief. At least he got one thing right: He stayed in a far enough distance so Ebony's Dad wouldn't notice him. I think Hazel knew he was there, though. She kept stealing glances behind while her Dad wasn't looking.

Charlie and I got as far as the guard gates before we had to stop. I didn't have enough time to sneak inside—sure, the training barracks was a piece of cake (or should I say cookie) but I had a feeling that the office or whatever they were going to discuss Violet had a lot more security. That's when the Kacheek finally noticed me. "Hanso?"

"No. I'm Violet," I told him. He cracked a smile. "What's happening with the Princess and the Firecracker?"

"Nothing good," he replied worriedly. "They're both there to bring Violet back."

I groaned. "Is there something we can do?" He shook his head. Then I realized something. "Hey, aren't you banned from seeing her?"

"Not technically," he said. "If I recall, he said _banish you from the house. _Well, we aren't at there house, are we? So the rest of Neopia is fair game."

"How'd you figure that out?" I said, gaping at him.

He shrugged. "I just pay attention to words. Wording is always very important. Or so Mrs. Daley says."

It was mostly a useless conversation. But we needed something that'd distract us. After awhile, I decided that the tension was killing me and that jail would be better than staying outside and doing nothing. But Charlie beat me to it. "I'm going in," he told me.

"What?" I said, even though I was planning to do something similar. "You'd be a lot more use out here—it'd be ridiculous to go inside now."

"I can't stand not knowing what's going on," he said desperately.

"Neither can I,' I admitted. "But we can't sneak inside-"

"Why must we go inside?" he asked. "Why not just look into a window?"

I mentally kicked myself. "That'd be okay, I guess." I grabbed his hand, and we slipped into the garden. I remembered going in there once in the overgrown part for Brynn's birthday, two or three years ago I think. It seems such a long time. Faintly, I remembered getting yelled at by Kayley on what I was doing there and why did I give the necklace up for Brynn. You know, if she asked me that question again I still wouldn't have an answer.

We crouched below the tall grasses, creeping in unseen. The dirt ruined Charlie's outfit, but he didn't seem to care. I guess he just wanted to see what was going on. We both went a little farther – smiled slightly when I passed the window of the dining hall – until Charlie tugged at my arm and said, "I think perhaps that's where Violet's schoolmaster's office is. She showed us on that little tour, remember?"

"Good memory," I said approvingly. We scooted near it, finally seeing Hazel's father, teacher, and Hazel herself in the office, as if waiting for something. I was guessing that was Violet, probably delaying the moment for as long as possible before she had to face her dad.

"Sorry," the Draik man apologized. Thankfully, the glass wasn't sound-proof. "Maybe Sam wasn't the best candidate—I'll ask one of the staff to get her. Please wait a few moments." So Sam was 'getting' her. I guess he was helping delay the moment, too. I just hoped he wasn't spending time with his evil auntie.

"What kind of place are you running here?" Hazel's dad grumbled, but he'd already left.

"Daddy, please," Hazel whispered. "Let Violet stay. I'll do anything-"

"Silence!" her father ordered. He glowered at her. "I let you come here as bait for your sister, not as a treat. If you cannot behave yourself, you wait outside until I have your sister in tow."

"But-"

"That's it!" he roared. "Out!" Hazel reluctantly scampered away through a side-door (a door leading from another room), closing it behind her. But there was a peep-hole, and I guessed that pair of big brown eyes were peeking at them that moment.

"The nerve!" Charlie muttered. "You can't order someone out of somebody else's office!" He looked like he wanted to strangle him.

"We can't do anything about it yet," I pointed out. "Let's just get as much info as we can."

At last, the Draik man came back. "Sorry, he just had a mix-up—asked the wrong student. I can't imagine why, he's known Violet for a very long time. She's even a member of his little club."

"Little club?" her dad asked.

"Certainly," said the Draik man, smiling. "I don't exactly know what it's about, but I think it's called the Rebellion."

"The Rebellion?" he echoed, his eyes turning to slits. "What a funny word. It stands for change, doesn't it? New ideas. Sometimes very bad ideas." It looked like his resolve on taking Violet out had solidified.

The Draik man shrugged uncomfortably, noticing he said the wrong thing. "Erm, where's your sweet little daughter?"

"Hazel had to go outside for awhile. She was misbehaving."

"That little girl? She was behaving like a perfect princess." Charlie and I both smiled. Hazel's dad glared at him. "Not to question your authority, of course." There was a knock on the door, and suddenly the tension in the room was an all-time high. "Come in."

I blinked in surprise as Sophia opened the door. What was she doing there? My surprise went even bigger when I saw Brynn. They were both on either side of Violet. "I asked for just Violet," the Draik man said sternly.

"And Violet isn't going anywhere without us," Sophia insisted. She had a fierce determination on her face, something she didn't have when I first met her. I'm so glad that I got her to be friends with Brynn.

"Little girls," Hazel's dad said. "I want to see my daughter."

Violet cringed, and she clung on to Brynn's arm a bit hysterically. I wondered if she'd act that way if she knew Hazel was watching her. "Don't leave me!" she pleaded to her friends.

"I'm not going anywhere," Brynn promised. Sophia nodded in agreement. I couldn't help admire them for that.

"Brynneth! Sophia!" the Draik man shouted angrily.

"This guy has our friend more afraid than we've ever seen her," Sophia stated simply. That was definitely true. Violet looked even more scared of him than Harry. "We stay." The Draik man sighed and gave in, grabbing two extra chairs nearby.

Hazel's dad looked at him disapprovingly, but opened his arms as if for a hug. "Right, my girl," he said, pretending to be a doting father. He wasn't really lying—there was nothing false about it. But the pasty, fake way he said it made my head scream _lie lie lie! _

He began putting his arms around her, but she kicked and punched him, making him step back. He frowned at her, half-angry, half-confused, as if this wasn't the way he was used to being treated. I smirked slightly. She wasn't his little slave anymore. "Stay away from me!"

"Violet!" he cried, as if shocked. I guess he had a good reason. Nope, she was definitely not that docile little girl he remembered, but there was something else as well. Something that she probably got from her years in the guard, or standing up to Harry, or maybe just being Brynn's friend. She had a bit more self-confidence—and even though it was clear she was scared, she wasn't afraid to show she hated him. His face had a hint of scorn in them. Changing tactics, he said, "Your brother has been worried about you!"

I snorted. Charlie glared at the window. Worried? Yeah, right. More like eager to start torturing her again. Even the Draik man raised his eyebrows—I bet he remembered how he had behaved when he chased the little kids. Violet scowled. "My brother," she spat, "Saw me a few months ago. And _my brother _also didn't seem too _pleased _to see me."

"He probably didn't recognize you," her Dad said as an excuse.

"Oh, he knew me all right," Violet snapped. She glowered at the memory, her nose wrinkling and her hands clenched into fists.

"Violet, he misses you so much!" he insisted.

"True," Charlie whispered. "He missed having a punch-bag that would cry out, instead of taking it quietly like Hazel."

"He can go die for all I care," Violet said angrily. Harsh—but I couldn't really blame her.

Insulting her brother was probably the snapping point for Violet's dad. He probably saw his son as his little pride and joy or something, and it's not hard to see why. They're spitting images of each other; even though I just met him, I don't know whether I hate Violet's dad or Ebony more. Anyway, he roared at Violet, "Don't talk about him that way!"

This time, the Draik man threw him a suspicious glance. The thin mask of a 'loving father' was becoming more and more convincing, especially since it was obvious who the guy's favorite was. That didn't stop him from trying to slip it back on. Choosing another strategy, he said, "What about your sister? She's so quiet now these days."

Charlie tensed, and in a harsh whisper he muttered, "You made her quiet, knocking the 'bad ideas' out of her, you disgusting, slimy little mortog-"

"Oh, so you traumatized her too now?" Violet yelled. She looked nearly as angry as Charlie, like she wanted to crush something. I wonder how Hazel herself was reacting. "I don't _believe_ you! You ruin my life! You trust the servant over me, you favor my stupid bully of a brother and then, having sent me here where I'll be out of your hair, you decide to traumatize my sister? What did we ever do to you?"

Sophia, Brynn, and the Draik man gaped at her outburst, like they couldn't believe it. Her dad's face reddened and turned fierce. The guy might be horrible, but he was also smart. He knew when his cover was blown. No longer trying to act, he cried, "Violet! You don't talk to your father that way!"

"Oh, I can," Violet shouted back. She stared at him defiantly. "I don't care anymore!"

Famous last words.

"You've lost all that sense of discipline your mother and I used on you throughout your life!" he screamed at her. _Sense of discipline? _I thought. _More like terrifying her out of her wits. _Besides that, the Draik man looked mildly offended, like her dad was questioning how well he ran the class. "You have no idea where the boundaries are! I'm going to have to take to _take you out of the Guard_ and sort it."

Violet stopped shouting and looked at him, stunned. Then suddenly, she fell on her knees. "Oh, dear Fyora," Charlie said. "She's too proud to beg unless it's absolutely necessary. Things are bad."

"Please don't take me back," she said quietly, staring at the floor. "Please don't." And for a moment, I forgot how she wouldn't listen to my excuses just because 'I was a thief,' how she nearly creamed me more than once if Brynn hadn't stepped in, even how she had betrayed Brynn herself once. That moment, I just felt sorry for her. And I saw what she was going to have to face if she went back—a weak mother who wouldn't stand up for her own daughters (NOT a good role-model), a brother who'd beat her up until she was half-dead, the humiliation of seeing her old 'friends' again, a little sister that would be disappointed that their only hope of escape had been dashed, not to mention a cruel father who'd do anything to keep her miserable.

Violet looked at her friends and teacher imploringly. The Draik man sighed, and said, almost regretfully, "He _is _your legal guardian, Violet. So if he wants to take you home, there's nothing to stop him." Violet's head bowed with defeat, her hair all over the place.

Her hair was messy. I really think it was that one tiny detail that got me to wake up—and someone else, too. Probably realizing this was the final chance for someone to step in, Hazel opened the door just a crack. All eyes turned to her, and for a minute there was complete silence. "Daddy," she said in a soft voice.

Her dad was furious. It was the second time she stood up to him in the same month. "Get back outside!" he yelled. "I told you to stay outside!"

She whimpered. "I just wanted to see Vio-"

"Out!" he shouted. "I'll deal with you later."

Hazel's brown eyes widened with fear. But before she could obey the command, Violet got up and ran to her, giving her a hug. Hazel looked so small in her arms, looking more like that terrified six-year-old more than ever. Violet said something to her, though not loud enough for even anyone in the room to hear. Luckily, I knew a bit about lip-reading. _I'm sorry, _she was saying. _I thought I was safe._ Hazel hugged Violet even more tightly, her knuckles going white.

But their dad was not happy. "Put each other down immediately!" They both quickly jumped back from each other. Hazel ran to the door. After she left, something told me that she wasn't peeking anymore.

Temporarily distracted by the Hazel's outburst – which was probably the little princess's plan all along – Violet's dad said, "I must deal with your sister for now." Then he glowered at Violet one last time. "But I will be back, my lady. And you will learn your place." Violet glared at his back, right up until he went out of the door.

"Hazel!" Charlie said suddenly, jolting me from my thoughts. He took off, sprinting to where he knew the entrance was. I blinked; for a guy who had a heart problem, he sure was fast. Then I looked back at the window and saw that Violet was gone. Brynn and Sophia ran chasing after her, though I knew they wouldn't get there in time.

I sighed and rushed after them. I had a feeling that this wouldn't end well. I found Violet had beat both her father and Charlie to Hazel, and she was trying to comfort her. "Don't worry, Haze, I'll think of something…."

"I know," her little sister replied.

Both were lying, though maybe for good intentions.

"Thanks for sending me more letters," Hazel mumbled. "You gave me loads more than usual."

For a moment, Violet looked confused. "But Haze, I always send you the same amount of letters every week-"

"You really want to get taken out of the Guard now, do you?" said their father spitefully when he saw them. "I gave you a brief reprieve, and look what you're doing with it! Crying over that useless piece of-"

"Hazel is _not_ useless!" Charlie said angrily, panting.

"Then she's good for nothing," he replied. "I thought I told you to stay away from her! You really are a persistent little idiot, aren't you?"

"You told me to stay away from her _house._"

"And a smart-aleck, too," Hazel's father said. Then he smiled evilly. "But perhaps I should thank you for persuading little Hazel not to go to the Guard. Who knows, I might not have been able to take both of them out, which would've saved them."

"You….you….." Charlie couldn't think of anything to say, but he was red in the face.

"Guards," Violet's father mused. "Think their so tough, what with their weapons and proper 'training.' They don't even have the back-bone to do some real damage to the thieves. That's right, I'm talking about you," he said to Violet. She took a step back. Then he grinned again and looked at Charlie. "Though your cousin is a bit more honorable…"

Charlie glared at him. "I hate my cousin."

He laughed. "Blood is blood, isn't it, my girls? Nothing you can do will change that. You, little trouble-maker," he said, grabbing Hazel by the ear so she cried out, "You're spending the rest of the month and the next in the cellar, peeling onions and catering to your brother's every need."

"Like usual," Charlie said bitterly.

"Oh? You think it's not a good enough punishment? Why don't we add in cleaning the attic, too? You know, where all the ghosts are?" Violet glowered at Charlie, and Charlie glowered at her father. They both stayed silent this time. "Good-bye, maggots," he said to them. "I'll see you soon."

"You absolute stupid-head!" Violet yelled when the guy was out of earshot. She was directing her insult to Charlie. But instead of the sometimes funny tantrums she puts, this one was serious. She shouted until she was hoarse. "She already had a bad enough punishment—why do you have to make it worse?"

"Don't blame him," I began.

"What are you even doing here?" Violet screamed at me. "It's probably your fault that Hazel got in trouble in the first place. If she stayed away from you two…"

"And stayed miserable?" I countered.

"Oh, and you're thinking your presence changed that?" she snapped. She looked at Charlie, her face livid and furious. She was angrier than I've ever seen her before. "This is all _your_ fault!" she shouted. "If you hadn't gotten hurt…if she never met you, she'd be okay and we'd both be safe. But noooo, she has to choose the most annoying, inconvenient piece of rubbish that I've ever seen, and she has to suffer for it to. She hates cleaning the attic—Ebony's pushed her down the stairs more than once. And the cellar? She has to cut up onions in the dark, which makes her cry, and if she doesn't do the laundry perfectly she's shut up in a closet for an entire hour. Besides that, now she has the Tradition to worry about, and she's probably going to have to marry someone horrible, because she just WOULDN'T join the Guard no matter what I tell her. And it's all because of-"

Charlie turned red with rage again. But what he said next was not what I was expecting. "I bloody well know it's my fault!" he yelled. That shut her up. "I _know. _I've been hating myself because of it, and I know I'll never in all my life be able to make it up." He looked at her in the eye. "But no one, not even you, will be trying harder to help her. I assure you, Violet, she will not be alone. Not this time." She stared at him.

Then she fell to her knees, tears streaming on her cheeks. "She's my sister," she whispered pitifully, a huge contrast on how she was acting a few minutes ago. "She's my sister, and I failed her…"

"We both did," Charlie said.

"Hey! What happened here?" A familiar voice said. Sam sprinted to the scene, his eyes troubled. He leaned down next to Violet. "Look, Robin Hood, he's not going to get you…"

"Yes he will!" Violet said hysterically. "And even if he doesn't, he already has Hazel and he's going to ruin her life and it'll be my fault…and nothing you can say will convince me otherwise!" she added when she saw him open his mouth.

"Oh, I don't know," said Sam playfully, sadly. "I'm very persuasive." But she kept on sobbing. He sighed. "But I guess sometimes I need a little help." Then, almost comically, he pulled out a cookie from his pocket. "Want a cookie?"

"Does it look like I want a cookie in a time like this?"

"Eat it, Vi. It'll make you feel better. Promise." Violet threw him an odd look, like saying, _He's finally cracked if he thinks a cookie can make me feel better. _But she bit into one anyway, and instantly her features relaxed. "Sleep," he ordered, and in a moment she was snoring peacefully. "Do you want one too, kids?" he asked Charlie and me.

"That gives only a false illusion. I'd rather not, thank you very much," said Charlie. I shook my head too.

"Well, sometimes false illusions _help_, even for those who'd rather tell the truth." He looked at me in a strange way—not because I was a truth-speaker, but it was like he knew something I didn't. Then he turned to Charlie. "Don't listen to Violet's dad. You're nothing like your cousin; I should know."

"You know who he is?" Charlie asked indecorously.

"With a little bit of help from the name thing," Sam said. "Harry, right?"

My jaw dropped. "Wait….you're cousins with Harry? Why didn't you tell-"

"Why didn't I tell when I found out that it was him who'd been torturing Violet? Well, because he'd never listen to me and it'd be absolutely pointless. We absolutely loathe each other. I did not want to lessen Firecracker's opinion of me even furthur. Besides, we've only seen each other a few times, and he's not even technically my cousin. He's my third cousin twice removed on my father's side."

"Oh," I said.

"Again, you're not your family," Sam said. "I should know." He made a face, then looked at me. "Hanso, you should go see my mum."

"Why?"

"Mum's good at figuring things out; and you have to admit, her advice works. Your mum goes to her, too. It might help with a few problems—including…" he looked at Charlie.

"Okay," I agreed.

"I better go," Charlie said. "I can't have Mrs. Daley worried, can't I? Bye, Hanso." He had a sad face on. All I could do was to watch, wishing that there was something I could do to help.

Week 4

I went to Marie's house quickly. I've been there a few times, but not so much that I got used to the run-down feel of the place and the desperate looks. No wonder most people here were thieves. Besides that, there was that lingering feeling that this place used to be beautiful once, before something…happened. I wonder what.

Anyway, I was all set to knock the door when I heard voices inside. For a moment, I decided to come back later. Then I heard who was talking to her. "It's stupid to resist, sister. I've already won, I have enough power, and next month the final step will completed the Guild will be mine."

I tensed. It was Masila. Final step? I thought. Oh, no. That meant killing Kanrik. I listened a bit more.

"Then why do you need the necklace?" Marie said. "If you have enough power, you don't have to have it. You don't even know that it's in my possession."

Masila laughed; a sweet, deadly sound. "You're the only one who knows that I had it. As for why I need it…well, I don't. I could get on and take over the Guild with or without it, but I want some assurance that some irritable thorn will not use it against me. Promise that you don't have it?"

"How will you know that I will not be lying? That isn't part of your talent."

"No," said Masila in an amused tone. "But it's Hanso's, and he's right outside." Then I realized that her voice was getting louder and louder, like she was walking to the door. Before I could escape, it swung open and she pulled me inside. "Now," she said to Marie, holding her dagger's edge to my neck. "Answer. He will tell me if you are lying."

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"Because you are a terrible liar, and if you even attempt to fool me I'll kill Brynn," she said calmly. She had me caught again.

"No need for violence," said Marie testily. "I swear on my life I didn't steal it."

Masila paused. "Is she lying?"

"No," I said truthfully.

She sighed. "Well, as you know it's mine, and if you do see it you will return it to me. Got that, sister?" she said.

"I'm not breaking the tradition," Marie said, folding her arms. But there was a sort of bitter little smile on her face. "If you want it and I have it, you steal it."

Masila laughed again. "With pleasure."

"Like you could," I muttered. "Kanrik'll throw you in jail, where you belong. And that's coming from a crook."

Masila's smile instantly vanished. "You think your little leader is so great, hm? No prison can hold me, Hanso, except death itself." Her piercing eyes looked at me greedily, like a thought just occurred to her. "You know, I don't have that much use for you anymore. I can kill you now and not lose any sleep because of it-"

"No," Marie intervened. Her smile was gone, too. "There will be no more killing in this house."

"But sister," said Masila in a persuasive way, her voice going all thick and sweet. "He won't be here to bother you anymore, and as you very well know he's Kanrik's weak spot-"

"I told you never to try talking to me like that again," Marie said in a dangerous tone. I blinked at her. As far as I knew she was no truth-speaker, yet she resisted Masila with perfect ease. Was she just used to it, or something? "Out, Masila. No more killing in this house, like I said."

She huffed and let me go. "All right. And Hanso," she said, turning to me, "Your Guild will be in shambles and its leader destroyed before the end of next month. Enjoy life when you can." With that, she went out of the house.

"Sorry about that," Marie said when she made sure Masila was gone. "She always gets a bit testy before one of her 'big plans.'"

"Aren't you going to do anything to stop her?" I cried. "She was practically cornered in your house!"

She looked at me for a long time. I squirmed. "I made it clear from the very beginning of Kanrik's and Masila's battle that I was neutral. I will do nothing to disrupt her or his plans, but neither will I help them. And please don't try and change my mind. Both sides have caused quite a bit of damage to my family." I nodded. "Next question?"

"You didn't listen to Masila, even when she was being persuasive."

She smiled, again a bit bitterly. "Another way you could be unaffected by a persuader. When the worse thing imaginable happens to you, then petty words just don't matter anymore. It's come in useful more than once."

"Oh," I said. "And the necklace? I didn't know she'd be the type to be really interested in jewelry."

"She's not," Marie said. "It's a magic necklace."

"You know, when you add the word 'magic' to something it suddenly becomes important. A _magic _necklace. A _magic _rock. A _magic _school bus. What gives?" I complained. "What does it even do? Why does Masila want it?"

She sat down thoughtfully. "Well, that is an interesting question. I can't explain that—but I think I can show you."

"Show me?" I asked. "How?" Without a word, she took out a crystal ball from the cabinet. "Wait, you're a fortune-teller too?"

"Oh, no," she said. "This is a useful item I picked up a long time ago. I don't use it very often – it'll get stolen, no doubt, if people saw me use it – but it's helpful at times. It lets me see parts of the past, unless it's blocked by magic."

"What do you want me to see?" I asked curiously.

She tapped the glass and told me to do the same. "Close your eyes."

As soon as I did, there was this whooshing feeling I felt, like something was swallowing and spitting me back out again and again. I gritted my teeth, fighting against it. If this is what magic felt like, I think I'll just stick to doing stuff the old fashioned way. Then it all stopped, and when I opened my eyes I was in a whole different place—in the outskirts of a snowy village. Terror Mountain, I guessed.

"My old home," Marie told me, appearing at my side. "This is where it all started."

"What started-?" I began.

"Watch." I looked at a bunch of kids, maybe around six or seven, playing with a ball. Except for two girls. It didn't seem like they didn't want to play- in fact, I caught them staring longingly at the game from time to time. But the other kids shunned them, so they just braided each other's hair or chatted silently, all alone in the world.

"Hey! That's you. You're one of the girls," I realized. Seven-year-old Marie was pretty but small. But the most shocking was the lack of sadness in her eyes. It was like even if she wasn't joining in the game, she was still cheerful, with a bright smile that assured it was all going to be okay. "And if that's you, that must be…"

"Masila," Marie confirmed. She also had an optimistic expression on her beautiful face, smiling hopefully at any person who came near her. After a few minutes, someone did. But it wasn't to say hello.

"Oh, look," a purple Grarrl said. "The freak sisters are back."

"Shut up, Galem," said Masila, turning her back on him.

"Shame that you're so weird and weak, Masila," he continued. "You have such a pretty face, though I bet your parents rotted you to the core. Yet they're always away- traitors, my dad said, to the Guild. You're lucky they're still accepting you two!"

"I said shut up," she snapped. "If Kanrik was here, you would never say that."

I gasped at what she said. "Yes," Marie told me. "Once upon a time, they were friends."

"I'm not scared of that upstart Gelert," Galem proclaimed. "Besides, he's way over there on the other side of the mountain, probably having his hands full with little sister Layeela. He doesn't need another problem. My father is the leader of the Thieves' Guild, and someday that's what I'm going to do be. The most powerful one ever! Kanrik would be lucky to serve me."

"He'd be twice as the leader as you'd ever be," Masila spat. I gaped. Woah, opinions sure do change over the years.

"Think you're so tough, do you, girl?" he clapped his hands, and suddenly a bunch of neopets surrounded her. It strangely reminded me of getting cornered by Nort—and to my shock, I felt sorry for Masila.

"Go ahead," she said bravely. I cannot believe I just described Masila as brave. "Beat me up, like you did last time. I don't care."

Galem sighed. "Pity. I guess we'll just have to beat up your sister again."

Masila's eyes widened. "No!"

But Galem's group had already grabbed little Marie and twisted her hands. She cried out, and was forced to her knees. Someone true a piece of fruit at her, and then another, and then another. The grown-up version of her winced at the memory. I looked at little Masila, and she stood shock-still, horrified. Then her eyes turned to slits, and her expression turned into something I'd seen in her as an adult. When she spoke, her voice was angrier, deeper, commanding. Persuasive. "STOP!" Everyone froze. Even the petpetpets stopped buzzing. She glowered at the lot of them, especially at Galem. "If you know what's good for you, let her go. Now." They all took a step back.

Galem gawped at her. "Wow. Masila, how did you-"

"I said," she continued as she helped her sister, "Shut up." He was instantly silenced. "Are you okay?" she whispered.

Little Marie nodded. "Uh-huh. How are you doing that?"

"Doing what?" Masila asked, confused.

"They're all doing what you say!" she said quietly. "That never ever happened before!"

"They are?" Masila looked at the group, who stood as if they were awaiting her commands. "Oh. They are." She stood upright again, and said in her most sugar-coated voice, "Never come near my sister or I again, unless it's for friendly reasons. If you dare bully us, especially Marie, you will. Be. Sorry." She said it fiercely and convincingly, but I knew that she had nothing that could back-up the threat. Still, they all ran screaming from her.

Except Galem. For a second he hesitated, and then said, "Maybe you're not the bad sort after all. You want to sit with us at lunch a few times?"

The sisters glanced at each other. "Uh, okay."

The Grarrl nodded and went after his friends. When they were out of earshot, Marie squealed. "Oh my gosh, Masila, did you see that! They did everything you said! That was amazing!"

"Yeah," said Masila, looking dazed. "I don't know if I could do it again."

"Maybe there's something in the library," Marie suggested. "We could look it up-"

"Oh, no," Masila said, folding her arms. "If you want to research something in the library, count me out. I bet the thing with the voice was just a fluke."

"But what if it isn't? What if you could actually use it?"

Masila shook her head. "I'd rather not know."

The scene shifted, and I had to close my eyes and feel that uncomfortable sensation of being flushed down a toilet again and again. But it turns out you could talk, because Marie said while I was still being enchanted, "I dearly wish, even though it would've made life harder, that I had kept well enough alone. I was curious, and sorely tempted by the fact that Masila could keep away our tormentors by the power of her voice. The library in Terror Mountain is not as grand as Brightvale's, but it had some information of it."

When I opened my eyes, I saw Marie reading by candlelight. She was in a cozy though smallish and poor-looking room. It had two beds, one with a blanked of light blue and another of dark indigo. A bunch of old toys and trinkets were scattered around. There was also a desk, which was where Marie sat on. There was a rapping on the door, and Masila entered with her hands on her hips. "Oh, for Fyora's sake! Reading about those silly stories of talents again?"

"They're not silly," Marie said placidly. "You're living proof of that."

"Marie, that only happened once! Once! I doubt it'll ever happen again." Marie put her hands on her lap and smiled. "What are you smirking about? Come on, we're missing dinner."

"Why don't you put it to the test?" Marie questioned. "If the talents really are fake, then I doubt you'll say no to a little test. We have nothing to lose, and a lot to gain."

"Nothing to lose? Galem lets us sit with him now, and no one dares picks on us while we're with him. If we lose that-"

"Then the test won't be with Galem. Though really, sis, I'm getting a bit worried on how much time you spend with the guy."

Masila snorted. "Don't be. I still hate him, but if he keeps us safe, then I'll hang out with him for as long as he wants."

"You mean if he keeps _me _safe," Marie said, her tone guilty. "Look, if you really do have this power then no one will be able to tell us what to do-"

"They don't do it now."

"But you're still forced to do things you'd rather not," Marie reminded her. "Come on. It'll be fun!" Masila rolled her eyes, but nodded in defeat. "Okay, so here's the plan. You know that necklace Mother and Father guards night and day? It's like the prettiest thing the family owns, and we never even got to see it! I dare you to convince them to hand it over to you."

Masila raised her eyebrows. "Hm. Tempting. Okay—but dinner first!"

"All right," Marie agreed, and they entered the dining room. We didn't have to change the scene—we simply walked in.

For the first time, I saw a glimpse of Marie's parents; they were plain-looking people, but there was a sort of toughness about them. And iciness too, I noticed. Neither the sisters nor the parents acknowledged each other, until Marie nudged Masila after they've eaten. She sighed.

"Mother? Father?" said Masila. They both looked up, frowning. She took a deep breath, and said in her persuasive albeit shaky voice, "Remember the necklace that you guys are always talking about? The most prized family heirloom?" They nodded. "How come Marie and I have never seen it?"

"It's too precious," their father said.

"But one day, it'll be our job to guard it, wouldn't it? We should see how it looks like, at least." Her voice became more confident as she kept talking. "What if someone stole it. Then we saw the necklace, and since we didn't know it was ours, we just let the thief go. How would you like that? And I'm eight and Marie's seven. We've joined the Thieves' Guild already, so we're definitely old enough-"

"The Thieves' Guild doesn't know about the necklace. If they do, they'd most surely confiscate it," their mother warned. "You have to keep it a secret. Are you sure you want to be bundled with such a burden?"

"Yes," Masila said with conviction. Their parents nodded to each other, and the mother went upstairs. After a few minutes, she came back carrying a box. She opened it, and inside, set on a velvet cushion, sat a beautiful necklace. "It's pretty," Masila said after a moment. "But…why is it important?"

"Because it's magic," their father said. I rolled my eyes. Typical. "It enchants the person so that their talents, whether it be strength of will, speed, or persuading," at this, the sisters' eyes widened, "It will increase so that none in the world would equal their skill."

"So you only have to put it on-?" Marie asked.

Their mother bit her lip. "Perhaps you're a bit to young…"

"No we're not!" Masila shot a glare to Marie, that plainly said, _leave the talking to me. _"Look, we already have our jobs and stuff. You've shown as this much. You can't stop now."

Her mother agreed. "All right, perhaps not. No, you can't 'just put it on.' There's a special spell that is needed to activate it. None of the family knows where it's hidden, but whoever finds it and uses it on the necklace could be one of the most powerful people in all of Neopia."

"But then, if it doesn't do anything without the spell, why do you so closely guard it?" Masila asked. Her voice sounded even sweeter. "If you truly want to protect it, then you should give it to someone people would never suspect would have it. Namely, me. Why would you give it to me so young? But I'm very capable with the dagger already, and it'll be my job to protect it someday. I might as well start now. And it'll help you relax your minds, knowing that it's safe with me."

"Relax our minds," they echoed. Marie also looked at Masila transfixed, but her sister subtly pinched her arm. She winced and sort of woke up. "Very well," their father said. "That's actually a good idea." And just like that, they handed it over.

"Now, I think it's time for bed," their mother said. "Come on." With that, their parents went to their own room.

"Oh wow, wow, wow!" Marie exclaimed excitedly. "It worked! It worked!"

"Yes," said Masila, with the same dazed expression as before. She looked at the necklace in her hand and smiled. "I wonder what else I can do?"

The scene shifted again, and this time they were a bit older. Ten or eleven, maybe. I watched as Masila looked amusedly at Marie while her little sister was stealing. "Oh, stop looking so smug," Marie huffed in a playful way. "You only got the amount of stuff you required faster because you sweet-talked the villagers into giving it to you."

"Maybe," said Masila. "But I'm still a better thief!"

"Is that so?" said Marie. "Then why do I have your necklace?"

"Hey! It's mine!" Masila cried. "Mother and Father gave it to me-"

"Only because you used your voice," said Marie. "If you want it, steal it."

Masila grinned. "With pleasure."

Then there was a sort of montage. I saw them thirteen, then fourteen, then sixteen, stealing the necklace back and forth from each other. Once, Masila poured a sleeping potion in Marie's drink; then she disabled all the noisy alarm systems and took the necklace while Marie was slumbering. Another was when Marie forged a look-alike and had it replaced while it was being polished. "Wow," I commented. "You two were close."

Marie nodded sadly. "You can see why I don't want to choose sides, even though I know what Masila does is wrong." There was a short silence, then she said abruptly, "Each talent has a price, Hanso. You might already know that. For you, for truth-speaking, you can't tell lies. And since you're a thief, that is a big weakness."

"Then what's Masila's?" I asked eagerly.

She winced. "She can't tell if someone truly loves her or not. She could get anyone, anyone in the whole of Neopia she chooses, and they would be forced to do as she wants. She can't tell if someone was truly loyal. At first, that wasn't a big problem—when she liked a guy, a local heart-breaker really, called Reynard. But then he became tired of her voice; which, though sweet, was always insistent. He kept going to this other girl, and Masila kept forcing them to break up."

"That had to hurt."

"Indeed. As time went by, her heart became colder and colder, until she was convinced that everyone would betray her should she trust them; and power was the only thing that could fill the void. She even eventually shunned me. That's why her last breakup hurt the most."

"Which was?" I asked. As if to answer my question, the scene shifted into one in what I guessed was the base of Terror Mountain. Masila, Galem, and Kanrik were there, all probably eighteen years old or so. I blinked when I saw Galem kept looking at Masila. "Wait, him? But-"

"Watch," Marie said simply.

"You've really climbed up the ranks, haven't you, Kanrik? Second-in-command, eh?" said Galem. Kanrik nodded numbly. There was something in his expression that was sad, as if he'd just experienced something painful. "Hopefully you won't be like the last one. He lasted about….oh, five minutes, wasn't it, my dear?" She nodded. He laughed and slapped Kanrik on the back. "You'll do fine—do you know your place?"

"Yes sir," Kanrik said.

"Good." The Grarrl nodded approvingly and went on his way. "Masila, welcome him and teach him the basics." Masila, who started to follow, nodded and turned around.

"I know my place," Kanrik muttered to himself. "That doesn't mean I like it."

"Still a bit rebellious, aren't you?" Masila said. He jumped.

"I didn't know that you were here. Er, I meant no disrespect…."

"It's fine," said Masila, waving the problem away. He smiled at her. "It's been years! How've you been?" Then she winced, as if she realized it was a thoughtless thing to say. "I'm sorry; I forgot. You've obviously not been fine. The only survivor of the plague…and Layeela…"

"Yes, well," Kanrik said, looking down. "These things happen."

"It's not your fault, you know," Masila said. Her tone was persuasive again. "You were a brilliant brother to her, and I know that you did all you could-"

"Marie told me stories about you incredible persuasion," Kanrik said, grinning slightly. "Are you lying just to cheer me up?"

Masila huffed. "It's persuading. Not lying. It's not your fault, and that's the truth."

Kanrik shrugged, clearly wanting to change the subject. "What about you? News reached me that you were the new Queen of the Thieves' Guild. Is that right?" Masila nodded. "I have to admit, Masila, I was….surprised. You loathed Galem when we were kids."

"I still do," she said unblinkingly.

He stared at her in surprise. "Then why are you his…?"

"For a high-up position. What else?" she said.

"I never thought you'd do that. Lie so you'd get a position."

Masila raised her eyebrows in surprise. "I've done many things, Kanrik. Is your opinion of me still so high?" He nodded. "I should've known. You were always the most loyal…anyway, it's better than not being important. Better than being nobody."

"You were important," Kanrik insisted. "At least to me."

She smiled, and took a step closer. "I always did think you'd be a better leader than Galem, you know," she said. She went even closer.

But with that, Kanrik drew back. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "But as I said, though I might not like it, I know my place." He practically ran away.

Masila looked surprised. Slowly, a small smile entered her lips. "He truly is the most loyal," she whispered to herself. "I wonder how long it will take to bend him to my will?"

"He never did," Marie told me. "He never obeyed her orders without thinking about it for himself; partly because he was also a persuader himself (and therefore a bit more resistant), partly because he _was _loyal. In time, he truly did like her, I think—not because of her voice, like all the other guys, but because she was…Masila."

"You mean evil?"

"After all you've seen," Marie said, "You really think that she's completely evil?"

I bit my lip. "It's a bit harder to judge when you hear the whole story. But hey, if she liked Kanrik, then why is she trying to kill him now?"

Again, the scene shifted, and I saw two people carrying this huge coffin. The Bringer of the Night, I realized. Masila was supervising on where to put it. When they finally set it down, she said, "So, what news? Kanrik has not talked about it...tired, he said, and he promised to tell me later. But I'd rather hear it now."

"Don't blame him, ma'am," said one of them. "He spent all his time with that Usul adventurer Hannah- anyone with her would definitely feel tired. She was like a bouncing ball of energy!"

"Though polite, too," added the other one. "There's something fishy about her, like you can't keep a secret when she's around. Think he was lying when Kanrik mentioned his sister and a village dying?"

Masila stiffened. "He never tells anyone that," she whispered to herself. "Not unless the person is close…."

"Are you all right, ma'am?"

"I'm fine," she said. She leaned back on a rock. "I'm fine."

"What? She thought that Kanrik liked Hannah?" I cried. "Sure, he did, but not _that _way. I think…" I looked at Marie, and she waited for me to get it. "I think he liked her because she reminded him of his sister."

"That was my opinion too," Marie said. "But no matter what I say, she won't listen to me. Anyway, you know what happened. She convinced him to release the monster, she poisoned him and left him to die, and she went without a trace. At that time, I still had the necklace."

"Then what happened?"

Marie snapped her fingers, and suddenly we were back in her living room. "I'd rather not let the crystal ball show this part. The point is, she came to visit me around when Sam was little, asking to get the necklace. I was shocked, to say the least, since I believed that she was dead like everybody else. But I knew better—I knew that she hated Kanrik, even at that time. I knew she became more power-hungry than ever. And I refused. But….well, something happened that made me forget about it for a few days."

"Your husband died?" I guessed.

"Yes. To this day, I still think Masila had something to do with it. That was the worse thing that could ever happen to me, and suddenly I became immune to her little talks. But she took the necklace."

That was when I was confused. "If she had it years ago, why didn't she attack then?"

Her face darkened. "There could be a number of reasons why: for one thing, she might not have found the spell yet. Mother and Father never did tell it to us, but they hinted it was hidden in a very difficult place to find."

"But…?" I said, because I knew from her expression that there was something else.

"Her heart turned hard and cold to almost everyone. But when she came to visit me—I'm not sure of this, but I think she became attached to Sam then. Perhaps—perhaps she was sorry that she took away his father, for nearly turning him against his dreams. Perhaps she knew, that with Kanrik and the thieves gone, that I wouldn't be able to support him and that his life would drastically change, maybe for the worse. Who knows? Perhaps she might have even remembered the good old days, when we were friends."

"But who has the necklace now?" I pressed. "Neither of you have it, since you said so…do you?" I asked when I saw her tricky expression. She smiled. "But…how? You said that you didn't steal it, and I didn't sense a lie."

"I said I didn't steal it," she said with a wink. "I never said I don't have it."

With that, she took the necklace out of her pocket. It still looked the same as it did in a flashback, though maybe a bit more dented and worn for the years of being stolen back and forth. "But who stole it?" I asked. "I mean, I'm sure that none of the Guild would help you—no offense. And Kanrik would never agree to sneak into her hideout."

She smiled. "When I suspected that Masila would come straight here when she found that the necklace was missing, I knew that there _are_ a couple people in the Guild who are also loyal to me. Who care about family and friendship before the Guild, who's stubborn attitudes make them question what they're told, who aren't blind to such obvious plans. People who I taught myself." She grinned. "Hanso, your parents are the most resourceful people I know."

My jaw dropped. "Wait. My mom and dad stole the necklace for you? So that's what they were doing in Christmas…"

"Though I must admit, they were more reluctant than they would've been ten years ago. Because if one of them got captured-"

"It'd affect me. That's also why they didn't tell me?"

"Actually, I didn't give them the mission until they actually here. I had already taken care of the spell that alerted the Guild of they entered the Assassin's lair: for a few hours, it wouldn't affect them."

"And they agreed, huh?" I smiled sadly.

Marie probably sensed something was wrong, because she said, "What's up, Hanso? And don't lie. Other than it's hopeless lying, I've gotten a lot of practice with Sam about reading faces."

"It's just…there are a lot of rumors I've been hearing about my parents. Something they did that was bad—especially my mom, for some reason. About…about nearly killing and sending this person to Darigan Citadel."

She raised her eyebrows. "Oh. Is that all they've been talking about?"

"No," I admitted. "When they say they did something really bad, it kind of seems like they're talking about something else, and it's emphasizing it on my mom. Something that might even be worse. Do you know what it is?"

She smiled. "Yes, Hanso, I do; but I can't tell you. Your parents will tell when they're ready—though in my opinion, and a lot of others too, what your mom did was a very good thing."

"Good thing?" I said, confused. "But-"

"Why do you want answers so badly?" Marie asked suspiciously.

I shrugged. "I'm just sick of not knowing anymore. I mean, there's this big fiasco about a sort-of friend that I thought was the spy but wasn't, and another thing about two rich kids help out getting bullied, and of course the Masila thing-"

"Slow down, kid," Marie said. "Looks like you have a lot on your plate." I nodded. "And I think I know what's the problem; and your answer would be to make a resolution."

"A resolution about what?" I asked.

"In many ways, Hanso, you're like Masila and Kanrik," she said. "They both have the same fatal flaw. Masila was defeated because she didn't trust Kanrik enough, in the end. Now Kanrik's Guild is in the brink of collapsing, and he won't even look at the person who could help him the most." She smiled at me.

"Wait…you believe that I did something to help?"

"Well, I assume you did something productive in those two months. And I think I can guess what. Anyway, you wouldn't keep a secret for a reason. But I have a feeling that perhaps you might have ask a certain friend of his for help. And that she agreed—though for some reason, she's very, very late. Am I right?"

"Yeah," I said, gaping at her.

"Don't worry about that. I'm sure you wouldn't leave without being absolutely sure that the friend would truly help—you just need trust. Because it seems that that's what you currently lack right now. Your parents are keeping the info for your safety; I assure you, Hanso, one day you'll find out that not knowing will help you. Your friend was hurt you didn't trust her, and as for the rich kids, you might find them more capable than you think. For Masila…well, the only advice in that is to trust your friends, too. This is truly no time for doubting you allies. You have to stand together to face your enemies."

I nodded, realizing what she said makes sense. "Okay. This year, that's my resolution. And as for my hope…I hope this year will be better than the last."

She laughed as she opened the door for me. "That's what you signed up for as a thief, kid. If everything was normal, what fun would that be?"

That's one way of looking at it.

**Now, some of you guys are probably wondering what's up with my username change. Ya see, my cousin and I have this bet going on that she won't be able to find my stories. Since just about no one in my family has been able to discover it, I was pretty confident, so I gave her too many clues. Then I remembered she actually knew how to use Google. *face-palms* Anyway, my old penname was something I used all the time. I figured that it'd lessen my chances of getting found (or at least her realizing that I was found) by changing the name. The first thing that popped into my head was 'Iamhiding,' which is, I know, COMPLETELY unoriginal. The new one was Whateva's suggestion. Thanks!**

**The necklace was Amethyst's (awesome) idea. :D**

**Now, on a weirder side-note…I was robbed! Seriously! A bunch of thieves took a sack of vegetables from the kitchen while one distracted my mom. She (my mom, I mean) thought I was crazy when I was like, "Oh my God! I should interview them!" :) **


	38. February at Age 10

**All right, I admit it. I broke my own promise. *Hangs head in shame* But I had exams! I NEEDED to study! I really didn't have time. Also, my sister's birthday is next week, and I have to work on her birthday present (no HJ next week, then). So yeah…sorry. :(**

**On the bright side, Lucy made an awesome picture of Kayley. You can find it at: ?pet=a_play_ful_a**

**Does anyone know when a plot comes? Is it like, every other year or something? It'd really be interesting to see what TNT would come up with next….still, it's doubtful that they'd ever beat TFR. The characters alone have kept me addicted for FIVE MONTHS. As far as I can tell, there'll only be one way that it would be possible: If they add more Brynnso in it. :) **

**Oh yeah, and did anyone read Hanso's and Brynn's new Neopedia articles? Kinda interesting. I didn't know Hanso was allergic to Angelpi. Maybe I'll add that in at one point. **

The Month of Awakening 

Week 1

I'm going nuts. I might not be the 'spy' anymore, or even the prime suspect (that honor goes to Kayley) but I'm getting accused anyway. And watching Kayley being interrogated makes me feel really guilty, too, because if it wasn't for me she wouldn't have been in this mess in the first place. The resolution that I'll trust people more makes me feel slightly better, but what about all the stuff I did before? Last year, all she did was help me. And by helping me, she helped _Brynn. _Which probably isn't on her to-do list. I owe her something, in a way.

And the only thing I can do is to find the spy. How am I supposed to do that? She has the lead, and she won't even tell me who it is! Is this how frustrated she felt when I wouldn't tell her anything? Besides that, she actually trusted me with supposedly a potion that could reveal the spy, and I don't know how it works. I swear, that thing keeps getting heavier in my pocket everyday. I keep it with me at all times, partly so that I'd be ready to use it, partly so that it won't get nicked.

I wouldn't put it pass Nort to do something like that. If he knew that we weren't spies, I bet he'd just steal it so we couldn't prove that he was wrong. He doesn't try anything except glare or 'bump' (crash) into me for a few times, and even then, only when Kayley isn't there. She scares him. I'd taunt him of being scared of a girl if I wasn't scared of her myself—she has that effect on people.

After all of the chaos and stuff that happened last month, I was really relieved that I was back to the normalcy of the class. That is, until I realized a bit of the craziness followed me there. I mean, what else would explain that when Master Jacques sat down, a Pawkeet petpet followed him? It was cute, I guess, all squished and roundish; a feather-ball of red and blue. But there was something…sly about it. The little bird fluttered in with a sort of arrogant air, like it knew it was important, and circled the room a few times, as if looking for someone to peck. It was a bit creepy.

The Pawkeet perched itself in the windowsill, staring at all of us so intently that it made us all sort of uncomfortable—we just tried to ignore it. Some had more luck than others: Julius probably had some practice droning out his sister, and Kayley is oblivious to anything beneath her notice. But Juliet, Razor, and I kept stealing glances at it while Master Jacques was scrambling for the list of stuff he was supposed to teach us. Still, we were okay—then it began squawking, and impossible to ignore. "SQUAWK!" it screeched. "SQUAWK!"

"Um, Master Jacques?" said Juliet tentatively. "Did you notice a Pawkeet follow you…?"

"Ignore it," said Jacques calmly.

"Squawk!"

"I don't think we can."

"Try harder."

"SQUAWK!"

"Are you sure we can't shoo it away or something?" Kayley asked. "I know this very good aviary which would be happy to pluck the thing and roast it-" But before she could finish her sentence, the Pawkeet flew to her and began pecking at her hair. "Hey! Watch it! Ow!" She ducked under the desk, the Pawkeet still chirping crazily. "It can understand me?"

Jacques sighed. "It's a very smart Pawkeet. My so-called best mate thought that he would be useful, and sent him to me in Christmas; it turns out that he's related to that Black Pawkeet that inspired our ship's name a long time ago, which explains why he's so smug. Lucky me, eh?"

"Luuu-cky!" The Pawkeet sang.

We gaped. "It…it can talk?" I said, astonished.

"Taa-aalk! Fly! Cuu-uute! Arr, mate-ey, me na-ame's Fly-ynn, fli-in, and I be yo-our frie-end!" it, or I guess he, said. He flew up to me, looking straight in my eyes. I told myself I was being an idiot for being scared of a bird. So what if it looked a bit intimidating…unsettling…like it could read every particle in my being. So what if those beady eyes reminded me slightly of my parents interrogating if I'd done something wrong, or Brynn scowling with her sword pointed. Oh, who was I kidding? It did matter. Sweet Fyora, I had to get out of there! But before I made a move, 'Flynn' hopped away. "Thi-is one's goo-ood! Pur-fect-"

"Thanks," I said, thinking that the bird might not be so bad after all.

"For swa-abbing decks!" The class giggled, and I rolled my eyes. But even I couldn't hide a grin. You gotta appreciate a bird with a sense of humor; it smiled cheekily at me. "Yer na-ame?"

"Uh, Hanso," I said.

"Ha-ansooo, you ne-eed trust! Trust! Noooo, no-ot fly-ying thrust! Fla-abby arms ca-an't fly! Tru-ust! Fri-ends!" Then it pecked me, as if making sure it stays in my head. I stared after it. That bird _was_ smart—and it echoed what Marie said. What did he do, read my mind or something? A churning in my stomach made me think that it might be possible. That was a bit scary.

Flynn made his way over to Julius, who twitched nervously. "Hey, uh…no need for examinations, okay? I need to keep my personal space."

The bird just looked at Julius, coming closer and closer until he was practically on his nose. So much for personal space. After a moment, he proclaimed, "Co-onfidence! Pe-erson ne-eeds co-onfidence! Ex-cellent wa-arrior! No-oo flabby muscles, li-ike _other _pe-eople! But co-onfidence!" With that, he also pecked Julius too. He flinched.

Juliet laughed and patted her brother's hand. "Oh, come on, it wasn't that bad."

"Go-ood girl!" Flynn exclaimed. "Nau-ughty girl, too! A-also insecure! Doubts! Many doubts. Unsure. Just a shadow. Sca-ared to mess up, let fri-ends do-ow-own." Juliet's smile faded. I don't blame her: I guess she didn't want her most personal thoughts squawked aloud to the entire class, especially like that. But I was a bit surprised. If anyone but that (okay, I admit it) brilliant bird would've said she was insecure, I'd have laughed. She was like my rock for the entire year, believing me when no one else did. It looked like I wasn't the only one concerned. Kayley tilted her head as if in question, a bit of a guilty expression crossing her face. "Com-mon sense! Thaaat's what she needs! Act! Act! SQUAWK!" With that, it pecked her head. Then screeched suddenly and flew to Razor, screaming a high bird shriek. "NOOO!"

"AAAAAH!" Razor jumped as Flynn hopped on him, pecking for all he was worth. My jaw dropped. His little claws were biting into Razor's shirt, scuttling down his arm until he reached his hands. And then, with another shriek, the bird grabbed the Thieves' Manual from him and flipped it over…

Revealing another book underneath. "GET BACK TO WORK, YE MA-ANGY BRU-UCE!" Flynn squawked, grabbing it and tossing it in the garbage.

"Hey!" Razor pouted pitifully. "That's from the library!"

"Too-oo baaaad! Pay att-en-tion! LEARN! Focus. Must be dep-pend-able be-four pe-oh-ple can dep-pend on YOU!" saying that, Flynn pecked on Razor – must be a ritual or something – and made his way triumphantly back to the window sill. The whole class glared.

"Nice bird, isn't he?" said Jacques in an amused tone. We glared at him too. "Hey, I'm just sayin'!" he said. Like he wasn't the one who was annoyed with him in the beginning of the class.

"Why don't you evaluate Master Jacques, Flynn?" Kayley suggested testily when he saw it eyeing her.

"Oooooh, me know's what Joks got wrong! Ob-vi-ous! Ob-vi-ous! Cap'n told me soooo ma-any times! SQUAWK!"

"What?" I asked eagerly.

"A life! Squawk! Joks needs a life, Joks needs a life, Joks needs a life! Get a life, Joks! SQWAUK!" Jacques suddenly grabbed the bird and tied a string around its beak. We cheered triumphantly, while the Pawkeet did the evil eye on all of us and struggled.

"Very funny, Garin," Jacques muttered as he stuffed the bird into a soundproof cage. I noticed Kayley breathe a sigh of relief, and suddenly noticed she was the only one that Flynn didn't interrogate. I raised my eyebrows. What was she hiding? I didn't have time to think about that, though, since it was back to the regular class. We learned about Morse code, which thankfully isn't as difficult as Ancient Languages. Since it isn't something you actually do, Razor was the best one. Thankfully, this time he helped all of us with the letters, and by the end we were nearly as good. The only really horrible part was when Jacques had to go get a letter (and send one—judging from how furiously he wrote, it wasn't going to be good). He actually let Flynn out, to 'keep us out of trouble,' he said. None of us could really concentrate. We were watching the Pawkeet warily, expecting him to come pecking down at us.

Finally, the school day was over. About time, too, since my brain was nearly dead. I guess after all that inactivity for the last month, it wasn't used to handling new information. I was looking forward to napping at home, so I exhaustedly got out of the Guild and walked to my house.

Oh, I never did describe my house, did I? Well, there's a good reason. No way will I ever put where it or the Thieves' Guild in this journal (what if it was found by someone like Harry? He'd sell us all out for sure!) but I can tell that the Guild has a lot of entrances, and it spreads around to nearly the whole kingdom. A lot of homeless thieves, even little kdis, live there, though it's not exactly the best place to grow up. Even if I'm usually there a lot, I can't imagine staying 24/7. They'd have all my stuff off me in seconds. There's also a lot of secret rooms that I haven't been allowed to enter (one day, I'll go exploring down there just for fun), plus a huge dining hall used for the Christmas Feast. And of course, Kanrik's office.

Mom and Dad came to the same conclusion that they didn't want to live there—so they sort of saved up, and we live in this small house in a corner of Brightvale. It isn't anything fancy, but it's really cozy and warm, with this homey feel to it. Mom takes pictures of us like crazy and posts them all over the walls, and Dad keeps bringing in little 'souvenirs' like a dented helmet, a stolen relic, and other stuff that Mom nags at him to throw away because they don't help us at all. But he just laughs and teases her about the pictures, and she rolls her eyes and says fine. As for me, the only thing I contribute to decorating is my old drawings. I think they're awesome. You know, for stick figures.

You can probably tell I'm lying again, right?

Anyway, that day Mom was doing a rare home-cooked meal, and Dad kept going into the kitchen to 'sample' stuff. Mom tried to chase him away with a spatula, but he attacked her with a ladle, and soon they were having a mini-fight with kitchen utensils. "Wanna join in?" Dad asked, dangling a spoon.

"For Fyora's sake, Peter!" Mom cried, laughing. "He's the most grown-up one around here! Don't spoil it." Which automatically makes me grab the spoon and start jabbing at her. "Oh, two against one? And I'm a lady, no less! How is that fair?"

"You're right!" Dad said. "It's time we turn against one another. Every person's for themselves!" And suddenly he grabbed me by the waist just like I was a little kid and bounced me on the couch. Then he did the same to Mom.

"Stop it!" she said, but she was grinning. "Unless you want your dinner burned, you better let me get back to the kitchen!"

He scratched his head and put his chin on his hands, as if thinking about it. Then he sighed, and said, like it was him that was being generous, "Well, if you really want to cook, I won't stop you. It'd be sad to see such a fine meal go to waste." Mom rolled her eyes, and after a few minutes the stew she had been making was done. A flood of salty flavors dripped in my tongue. It was brilliant, like always. She really could be a cook instead of a thief, if she ever wanted to. King Hagan himself would beg for her recipes.

"Hey Mom, where'd you learn about cooking?" I said absent-mindedly. "I'm pretty sure they don't teach that in the Thieves' Guild. Did your mom teach it to you?"

Mom blinked, surprised. "No. No she didn't. It was, um, someone else. A friend." I waited for her to expand on that, but she never does. She hates talking about the past, even if it was after she ran away—briefly, I wondered if it was Marie. Judging by her cookies, I wouldn't put it past her to be a great chef, too. Sure enough, Mom quickly changed the subject. The only subject that could distract me. "Masila's been around for awfully a long time."

"Yeah," I said, poking at my food. "I can't believe it. I thought we'd have beaten her by now."

"We will," she assured me. "I think we're making progress." She gave Dad this meaningful look.

"You mean because of what you guys did in December?" I couldn't help asking. I immediately wished I hadn't. They both stared at me openmouthed; Mom gripped her knife, her weapon of choice, more tightly.

"How did you know that?" she tried to keep her tone casual, but there was a hint of anger and…fear? Why would she be scared? "Did you follow us or something?"

"'Course he didn't, Lizzie," Dad piped up before I could say anything. He gave me a warning look, as if saying _If you don't want to stay in your room for a week, be quiet. _"He was late for the feast, remember?"

"Oh, yes." Mom looked relieved.

"I really didn't follow you," I said honestly. "Marie mentioned it to me when I visited her."

"You visited Marie? After what I told you?" Mom shrieked, jumping up. Dad threw me a pitying look. "What if you met Masila there?"

I looked down at my plate. "Uh….."

Mom groaned. "Don't tell me. You met Masila there."

"Marie defended me," I said. "She wouldn't let Masila do anything."

"Great. Just great." Mom shook her head in disbelief. "I'm honestly going to have to start following you around if you keep going to these dangerous places. What if something happened to you?" Her voice sounded frantic.

"That's what happens when you're a thief, Liz," Dad said calmly. "He doesn't really do anything more dangerous than we do. Why do you ask? You regret his choice?" I was about to shriek that I liked being a thief and beg her not to worry. Then I thought about the question more. There was something weird about it, like what he was asking was something else altogether.

She just stared at Dad and smiled slightly. "Never."

"Good," said Dad, grinning, and suddenly all the tension ceased. He has that effect on everything. He isn't a persuader…but he sure is a charmer. "Now, I think what's done is done. Hanso went to Marie's. He didn't get hurt. He will never do so without our permission. Right?"

"Right," I promised.

He leaned back on his chair. "Well, I did want to tell the story to someone—Marie told us to keep it top-secret, but since she told you then I guess you're okay. So anyway…"

He began telling be how they snuck into the Assassins' lair by using the cloaks that Marie used for them, and used her blueprints to find the main headquarters AKA Masila's room. She told them exactly what to do. I don't think Dad wanted to admit that part – he probably wanted to sound that they did it by themselves – but I read in between the lines. Plus, there was that grudging admiration when he said, "If there's one thing I should say about her, it's that Marie can make a pretty good plan."

But all thieves know that a good plan is only half the battle. They hadn't counted on the Assassins that had walked out of the rest room and caught Mom when it was her turn to cross the hallway. They grabbed her instantly. The good news was that they went straight to Masila's room. The bad news was that the Mistress of Double-cross was going to meet her herself. It seemed that she wanted a 'test product.'

Masila was actually testing the necklace and spell out. "Remember, it increased whatever talent you're best in," he said. "At first, I sort of thought that it'd be combat. I mean, she's the best with the dagger in the whole Guild—excluding Kanrik; and your mom, of course." He flashed Mom a smile. "She did this spell….she read it out of a piece of paper. It was creepy. Anyway, the room was sort of separated with this thin wall that cut into 6/7 about it. Then she began talking (still in the other room), and even if I knew she wasn't talking to _me_, I still froze. She's awfully good at persuading, but you should've heard her then. I had to do everything she said. There was no choice."

"Except, weirdly, I kept thinking about what you would say," he said, frowning. "Probably be really disappointed in me. I don't know why, but thinking of your voice kinda cleared my head. Oh, and the sight of your mom struggling against the ropes and glaring at me to hurry up. I cut her bindings pretty quickly and was all set to escape, but stubborn as she is, she refused to have gone through all that with nothing to show for it. Masila left her stuff in the room for a few minutes to talk to some advisor or another, and we sneaked in. That time, I was the one who wasn't fast enough. Your mother got the necklace, but before I could get away, I heard her footsteps coming back. In a panic, I threw the papers in the fireplace."

I stared at him. "You destroyed the spell?"

"Maybe," he said. There was a kind of troubled look to his face. "I'm honestly not sure how magic works. I know that the spell was needed to activate the necklace- but then, the necklace was already activated for Masila. I'm not entirely sure that she hadn't written it down somewhere else or even memorized it. You never know with that woman. So we got away, I told Marie about the papers, which she was okay about. She wasn't sure about the activation thing either, but if that was the last copy of the spell and Masila couldn't remember it, then the necklace was permanently useless."

"Why can't she just destroy it?" I asked.

"That was the original plan," he said. "Trying to break it took almost as much time as trying to get it. We zapped, squashed, threw, burnt, bit, kicked, liquefied, and loads of other things with it, but the darn thing just kept reforming. In the end, we concluded that it was unbreakable, and that it should just be kept in safety. Marie's guarding it for now, but I'm sure that it won't be safe until Masila's officially behind bars."

"But what about Kanrik? It'd be really useful if he knew about it—even better, used it."

Dad bit his lip. "Kanrik's been real nice to us, but honestly, we're more loyal to Marie. And Marie is strictly neutral—she would never choose sides. Word on the street is that Marie and Masila used to be friends. I mean, I know they're sisters, but them getting along? Tough to imagine."

"Not so hard," I said, picturing the smiling seven-year-olds. Remembering Masila like that…I was a bit shocked. I know there was the whole 'heart getting colder' thing, but how bad did it actually get? What kind of heartbreak would it take to get that Masila…the one who I might have actually liked...into such a horrible person?

Maybe it was that persuading ability. I think that's it. Look at what it's done to people—Kanrik has it, and he's seriously paranoid and testy. Harry (who I admit has just a teeny bit of it)—is this stupid bully who I would love to punch again. Even Sam was easily swayed to go to Harry's side just because it was the easy way. Still, I don't know why. Masila used that same ability to stop Galem from bullying Marie; in fact, that might be what made her, forced her, to acquire the talent in the first place. Because she loved her sister so much.

I snorted, thinking about what happened recently. If what Marie said was true, then Masila basically killed her sister's husband, had harassed her son, and was now pestering Marie herself for the necklace. I guess things really do change, I thought glumly. Shame. What's even stranger…how long exactly did she know Kanrik, anyway? I really had to do some more digging into this, maybe when the whole thing's over. Who knows what awesome secrets that I could use to black-mail the Guild leader with I could find?

Week 2

There's only one word I'd use for this week: TRAUMATIZING. I'm thanking my lucky stars that I'm alive! I honestly thought that…well, I'm getting ahead of myself again. I need to remember this memory forever; mainly so that, if I ever had a bad week, I could just reread this one and say _It's not as bad as that one. _

This week, we had to have mentors again—and it's been awhile, too! The Meerca brothers were the first ones to come, as always. It's weird how fast they get here. One moment there was no-one, and the next the next two guys were grinning mischievously at you. I seriously doubt that they were ever caught. Or if they were, I kinda feel sorry for the person who caught them. They would've driven him mad. Maybe one day the twins would be as good, hopefully. They've improved a lot.

Dr. Kent came a little late, but he came. He had this absent-minded expression on his face that he always wore, like he was thinking about two things at the same time. But he smiled at Razor and took out his medicine bag, and the Bruce's eyes lit up. Seriously, he's never excited unless you're talking about books or medicine.

Kayley was all set, with Master Jacques always being there. I always wonder what he teaches her. He never gives her advantages in class, but she definitely improved in loads of other stuff. Kind of funny—when I found out who he was, I thought he'd be teaching her how to pirate stuff. Like how to say, "Arrr!" I felt really sorry for Kayley when we saw that Flynn was coming with them. The bird was starting to bug us.

Anyway, everyone was there. But never in a million, no, gazillion years would I have ever expected Kanrik to show up. I thought he hated me; at least, he acted like it. I know that the spy thing with Kayley actually got him to clear his head, to finally face that he was wrong, but I knew he'd never really trust me until a real spy was discovered. To be honest, I kinda missed him…or at least, irritating him. Well, he was there, his arms crossed and looking tired like he always did. "You're teaching me today?" I asked with disbelief.

"No," he said sarcastically. He seemed to be in a worse mood than usual, glowering at everything and everyone, stomping towards me. "I hired the Pawkeet to, and just wandering in for a stroll."

"Squawk!" Flynn said indignantly. "Wash your mouth! Squawk! Wash your mouth!"

Kanrik jumped and pulled out his dagger. "It can talk?"

"Apparently," I said, struggling. "Don't let it get too close, or it might read your-"

But Flynn had already hopped to the Guild leader, and was eyeing him straight in the face. "Squawk! Needs more trust, that one! Squawk! Betrayed! Squawk! Hurt! Squawk! But blind. Bliiiiind. Stubb-orn. Will not. Can-not. You know! You know! Squawk!" I didn't understand a word he said, but Kanrik visibly paled. "Risk! Baaaad risk! Rash! At yer own cost! Very danger-ous game. App-ea-liiiing to _her _better nay-ture? Hahahahaha! SQUAWK!"

"What is that thing?" Kanrik said, backing away.

"Fly-yn!" the bird sang. "Fly-yn the thing! Me yer best fri-end. Squawk! Gifted Paw-keet! Squawk!" Then he pecked Kanrik on the head and flew away.

The Guild leader was stunned. "That bird…"

"Is awful," I finished. "Garin gave it as a present to Jacques."

"I should've known," said Kanrik darkly. "It would be just the thing that flippant Usul would do." He shook his head. "Might as well get moving, now."

"Where are we going?" I asked, trying to keep up with his long strides. He never slowed down and waited up like he used to, but that didn't matter much anymore since I wasn't as small.

"To the Assassins' hideout," he replied. I blinked, thinking that he was being sarcastic again. He sighed. "Yes, Hanso, we really are going there. I took care of the spell—we'll be safe from the alarm."

"But….she'll kill us!" I said indecorously. I knew he was upset today, and angry with me, but I didn't actually think he'd make me walk into the enemy's camp with no defense.

"Then we better not get caught," he snapped.

I stared at him. "You're in a really bad mood now, aren't you?" He didn't answer, but I took it as a yes. "Maybe Flynn's right. You're acting kinda rash now, Master Kanrik."

It was his turn to stare at me. "_You're _calling me rash?"

"Well, someone has to!" I said angrily. "We're walking straight into a deathtrap, for crying out loud! What are we going to do, take down as many assassins before they could get to us? I'm ten years old. And if we're not going to do that, you're expecting we're just going to watch them? What good would-" Then it clicked. I glared at him. "I am NOT a spy. I'm not even a very good one. Even on your side."

"Really?" he said, scoffing, but he didn't sound so mad anymore. It was like my angry outburst amused him.

"Really," I said.

"If I'm honest, I don't believe you," he said. "But you not being a good spy? That, Hanso, is a lie. And if it's the truth, it's a very dangerous one."

"What do you mea-"

"Because if you weren't a good spy, then it would've been very bad for us to let you befriend Miss Brynneth, now would it?" he said slyly. "And we both knew that it all depends on you skills of _acting and spying _that you were allowed to talk to her."

I looked down. "Well, it doesn't matter anymore, does it? I'm not allowed. Period."

"Right," he agreed. "And unless you can prove that you're not the spy, then I'm afraid you'd get kicked out of the Guild if you ever try and talk to her again." I looked at him angrily, and for a few moments we just stood there glaring at each other.

"Okay, fine," I snapped at him. "Let's get this thing over with." Who knows, I thought. With any luck the spy would be there and I could dump all of the potion on the stupid idiot's head, and bang the bottle on Kanrik's to top it all off.

I guess he sensed that he made me mad too, because he said, in a more apologetic tone, "I do have a backup plan, Hanso, if we get caught." I was about to ask what it was when-

"Hanso! Is that you?" A sweet voice said. We both turn around to find Hazel coming after us. I forgot that the rich kid's neighborhood was on the way to the Assassin' hideout, and I guess I didn't notice how nice the houses were since I was too busy glowering at my own thoughts. I gave the little princess a half-hearted wave. She practically skipped to us, with a small smile on her face. It faltered when she saw Kanrik. "Oh…hello."

"We meet again, Lady Hazel," Kanrik said with a courteous bow. She grinned up at him, and he beamed back. Honestly, she can make anyone feel better.

"Hanso, you'll never guess what happened," she said, nearly squealing. "It actually happened a few weeks ago, but I couldn't tell you since you weren't here. It was so cool that it even distracted my father from bringing back Violet." She twirled happily. "Oh, is it why you're here too? I'm not surprised!"

"What's 'it'?" I asked, amused. "Is the Usukicon being held there?"

She beamed. "Something like that. It's-"

"I'm sorry, Lady Hazel, but we're on our way to something," Kanrik interrupted. "And we're a bit late." He glanced at the hill, not knowing that she knew what was there. Her eyes widened.

"You'll…be careful, won't you?" she said tentatively.

"Yeah," I promised her.

She didn't look convinced. In a small voice, she said, "Maybe I should tell someone…"

"No!" I said quickly. Kanrik was already looking suspicious. Who knows what he'd think if he knew I let two rich kids come along with me to the Assassins' hideout? "We're not going to do anything dangerous."

She raised her eyebrows, giggling a little. "You're not a very good liar."

I sighed. "I get that a lot. But seriously, Hazel, I'm safe with Kanrik. No need to tell anyone, all right?"

"All right," she said reluctantly. "But visit me soon, okay? I wanna tell you what happened."

"I will," I promised. Kanrik coughed. Hazel gave us a cute little curtsy and began walking to her house.

Kanrik and I spent the rest of the walk to the Assassins' hideout in silence.

Which was probably good, because if we didn't we'd have been caught immediately. I guess it was better that we managed to sneak in a bit far – giving us a sort of illusion of security, or at least as much as you can in an enemy's base – before the Assassins pounced on us. It turned out that ever since my parents' break-in, they put in a few additional, magical defenses. Defenses that weren't known to Kanrik until then. In any case, two beefy Assassins had us at a death-lock pretty quickly.

I think Kanrik could've gotten away. He took down the guy who was hold him and managed to knock out the thug that was holding me long enough for me to wriggle out of his grasp. People kept on coming, but hey, he's not the leader of the Thieves' Guild for nothing. There was still a way clear enough for us to make a run for it.

Then a hand seized my wrist. It wasn't huge and thick, like the guy before, but well manicured and flexible. Even then, it had a grip that would've killed me had they been around my neck. That hand could only belong to one person. "Masila," I seethed.

"Hello, Hanso," she said sweetly, still cloaked in her hood. Before I could say anything, she called, "Kanrik, darling, I really wouldn't suggest that you knock Ken out, or any other of the Assassins for that matter. We wouldn't want the same thing to happen to your apprentice, do you?"

His eyes flew over to me and her. For a moment, he looked really confused. Then the truth, the one I've been trying to tell him for months and months, FINALLY sunk in: I was _not_ the spy. I tried to signal to him to get the heck out of there: I hated to admit it, but it was more important that he escape than me.

But of course, he would have none of it. With a sigh, a glare, he reluctantly let go of the Skeith he was holding.

Rapidly, a throng of people came and disarmed him, taking away his dagger and tying him up to a pole. Masila did the same for me, grabbing my weapon and pushing me aside to be chained. After a few minutes of this, the throng of Assassins stood back so that their Mistress could see what happened. About ten of them were crawling all over themselves, looking for approval.

"And I hit them, like, POW! And he went OW, and…"

"Steve didn't do a thing, it was me, Mistress, all me…"

"Are you nuts? Masila, I did the real pounding…those bozos just got beat…."

"Pfft, he ran away and jumped in when all the work was done. I did everything…"

"We did well, didn't we, Mistress?"

"Yes you did, darling," she said to a scared-looking Gelert. "Maybe your family won't be punished after all. You've proven your worth, even after that little mishap a few months ago…giving back the jewelry you stole to two guard girls, was it?" He nodded shakily. She smiled at him, and for a moment he relaxed.

Kanrik was watching them, disgusted. "Lobe?" Kanrik said to the Gelert. "I never thought you'd betray me for _this._ And you guys," he said to the others, "You're just fawning all over her!"

"Look who's talking," one of them shot back. "Wasn't that long ago when you did the same, and even worse. You unleashed a monster on us just because she said so!" Kanrik looked down, slightly ashamed.

"She promised a better life for my family, Kanrik," Lobe answered. "As good as you have been to me, you couldn't really offer that."

"And you think _she_ could!" I exploded. "How is she gonna do that, huh? Raid the Brightvalian Treasury, killing all of you in the process? Yeah, money will _so _make up for that-" Masila clamped a hand over my mouth. I blinked, shocked, and saw why. A few of them were actually _listening _to me.

"You're getting better with the truth-speaking, Hanso, I'll give you that," she hissed at me. Then she turned to the crowd. "We all know that Kanrik couldn't do it because he was too squeamish about attacking people. But honestly, how does he expect us to thrive? Move like insects under a rock, waiting to be found out? Need I remind you that that already happened? Hm? No, we have to go offense. Defeating the Thieves' Guild is just a stepping-stone—by the end of this year, you'll all be living like kings. And if you don't? If you suddenly get cold feet? Well, you're children will starve, you'll live like insects like you always have, waiting to be squashed by the real rulers." A shudder passed through the audience, and no one questioned her again.

Masila subtly pulled out a rag and tied it on my mouth. "To keep you from saying anything foolish."

"Oh, he isn't the foolish one, Masila," Kanrik told her.

"You're calling me foolish? At least I actually use my gift," she said. "I know you have my little ability, too, but when's the last time you used it? Did you notice I didn't gag you, too? I know you'll probably be too scared to try it, just as you were scared to try many things."

"And with good reason," he growled. "The last time I listened to you…"

"You have no one to blame but yourself," she said matter-of-factly. Then her voice took on a disappointed tone—a _genuinely _disappointed tone. "But seriously, even if I knew that you were getting a bit desperate, I didn't know you'd just walk in here. That was…stupid." She shook her head at both of us. Even without my gag, I wouldn't have anything to say. I hated to admit it, but it _was _stupid. "And just you two? No back up? No one knowing where you are? And you disappearing from the Guild for researching things for hours on end definitely isn't going to help. They won't look for you for hours!" She sighed. "This will just be too easy. Oh, well, might as well take things when they come. Vlade, you can kill them now."

"What? Too cowardly to kill me yourself?" Kanrik said angrily.

"Not at all, darling," she said. "I'm just more informed. It seems that whoever defeats the last Guild leader will _have _to be the next one, whether she likes it or not. I wish I'd learned that on that day in the shop; I wouldn't even have attempted to kill you. Anyway, I stand by the opinion I had when we were children. Being a Guild Leader would be _awful._" She shuddered. "All those people…no, I'll let my second-in-command take care of it. I'll still be ruler, but in an indirect way, and I'll be satisfied watching you getting sliced to pieces. Vlade!"

The yellow Lupe charged forward, grinning. "Here, Mistress," he said to her respectfully. He leered at me. "I know this one, though it's been a mighty long time since I clapped eyes on him. He's the one who put me in the jail cell, and didn't help at all when he had the opportunity." I wanted to say something, but the gag was still in my mouth. I had to content myself with screaming at him in a mad way. He just laughed. "Ah, well, I don't hold that many grudges against you, little one. _You _weren't the one who slapped the hand-cuffs on me." His eyes turned to slits, his face growing uglier. "That honor is reserved for your little guard friend." I gulped.

"How is Brynn, Hanso?" Masila said, knowing full well I couldn't answer. "You haven't done a very good job protecting her, have you? She's been in…three riots, I think? Still, I guess it's not completely your fault. I'm guessing Kanrik forbade you from speaking to her recently on account that you were my 'spy.'" She smiled evilly at him. "Really, darling, you shouldn't have worried. Little brat would've given his life before he'd betray you."

Kanrik looked even more ashamed than the 'fawning over Masila' thing. "I know." He stared at her straight in the eye, and for a moment his voice changed. "Let him go, Masila. He's just a kid, and isn't part of this whole mess. Please."

She blinked, and burst out laughing. "Really, Kanrik? Now you try being persuasive? I'm afraid you've gotten a little rusty. As for your reason, well, my dear, he has everything to do with it. This would've been over months ago if not for his quick thinking, as well as that Acara…." She shook her head. "But you're just stalling, now, aren't you? Vlade, just get it over with."

"Don't I guess a last request?" Kanrik said desperately as Vlade took out his dagger.

The Lupe grinned wickedly. "What makes you think she'll do anything for you-?"

"Because we were friends once," he snapped.

Her eyes widened and darted around quickly, but otherwise she was still calm. "All right, my dear, but I'm afraid it can't be letting little Hanso go."

"Why?" he pleaded. "He has nothing to do with this! What use could he be to you?"

"We'll still be using him as bait, I'm afraid. For a certain little trinket that my sister has…that _his _parents took." For a moment, she looked really angry, not at all like the composed façade she always appeared to have. "Even though we promised each other a long time ago that we won't have outside help when stealing it from each other," she said under her breath. She glowered at Kanrik, like it was all his fault. "So? What's your last request, then?"

Vlade raised his dagger. "Permission to slay him the moment you finish, Mistress?" Masila gave him a curt nod, and he grinned widely.

"Masila," Kanrik said slowly, "Tell me, what's the date today?" My jaw dropped open, a little shocked. Was he getting lessons from Kayley or something? And he's using his last request for THAT? Sweet Fyora, what was he thinking?

"The twelfth day of Awakening," Masila said without blinking. Then her eyes widened. Vlade smiled evilly and raised his dagger to strike. "Wait, no-!" But the blade was already swinging. Kanrik winced and, as stupid as it sounds, I closed my eyes so I wouldn't see his death.

_Clang!_

I opened my eyes tentatively…then saw something mind-blowing. Masila, the Masila that tried to kill us who-knows-how-many-times, just took out her own dagger and jumped in front of Kanrik, blocking Vlade's blade. Her minions stared at her, apparently as amazed as I was. Not Kanrik, though. He was just relieved. "For a moment I thought you'd forgotten," he said. There was just a hint of smugness around his words.

She shook her head, glaring at him. "I knew you wouldn't come here without a trick up your sleeve," she said, and I realize there's a bit of grudging admiration as well as anger and frustration in her voice. "That was dangerous, you know. I could've just ignored what you said and pushed through; appealing to _my _better nature is usually very, very risky, and even then any promise I made _you _specifically would've been ignored."

"True," he said. "But I know 'Sila's still in there somewhere."

She unsheathed her dagger again and put it on his neck. "Be careful of what you say, Kanrik. Even if what you say is true, there's not much of her left."

Vlade opened his mouth. "Mistress-"

"I hate whiners," Masila said conversationally. "I don't know what I'd do if one would dare approach me in this particular day."

Vlade frowned and changed his tone. "Mistress, you don't owe him anything. May I just kill him now? It'll put him out of his misery. And the apprentice, too, to cut off any _whining._"

"I don't owe him anything," Masila echoed. Then, in a small voice, she whispered, "But I do owe his sister. At least this much." She looked a lot like her seven-year-old self then—a bit wary, but overall nice. Then she straightened, back to her own despicable self. "In any case, I've lost all respect for her brother. Hiding behind a dead little sibling. That's _very _chivalrous."

He gritted his teeth. "Is it chivalrous to hold a ten-year-old hostage?"

She shrugged. "What do you expect, darling? It's what I do, not you."

"Right," he grumbled. "So if you'll just untie us…"

She shook her head. "You might be able to live through the day, but not tomorrow. I'm planning on keeping you here until sun-up. Then Vlade can cut you up as much as he wants."

"They'll come looking for me," Kanrik warned. "Even I don't go missing for an entire day."

"Good point," Masila conceded. "Which is why it helps having a spy in the Guild, right?" She snapped her fingers, and a hooded person came over to her. I still couldn't see whether if it was a guy or girl, grown-up or kid, or any other piece of information. Just that the person was of medium height. Oh, I badly wanted to rip off that cloak and see who was under, but of course, my hands were tied up. "Be a dear and tell the Guild that Kanrik took Hanso to Meridell to show him their fighting styles, okay?"

The hooded figure nodded and ran away. I groaned. It was a good lie, actually believable. Even my parents wouldn't question it, though I bet my mom would be a bit miffed. I could only hope that Hazel ignored me telling her not to say anything to anyone. But then, the little girl was compliant. She probably wouldn't disobey a direct order, even from me. "Darn," I muttered through the gag.

That was a mistake. Masila's attention turned to me, and she smiled menacingly. "Oh, I forgot you don't like lies, do you? You know what, I don't owe Layeela that much that I couldn't kill anyone today. You didn't even know her. And, well, I can always find some other way to get that necklace. Killing you would be a pleasure."

"No!" Kanrik cried. "Masila, please, he hasn't done anything and Vlade would just be cruel-"

"Vlade?" She laughed. "You think I'm giving him to Vlade? No offense, dear," she said to the Lupe, "But as much as your swipes are cutting, I'm afraid they're all too quick. I'm allowing you to do that with Kanrik because, well, you'll be the next Guild Leader. But Hanso?" Her indigo eyes bored into mine. "He's been a thorn on my side for too long—I'd rather give him a slow, painful death, hm?"

"As you wish, Mistress," Vlade said with unnecessary relish.

"But-" Kanrik tried to protest. Before he could, Masila reached in her cloak and took out a potion. It was an inky blue, swirling scarily, with smoke trying to come out of the stopper. She took the lid off.

"I've always been an expert on potions," she said musically. "This was my favorite one to make."

"Don't. Please," Kanrik begged. "He's just a kid."

"When did that ever stop anyone?" she said. Before I could react, she stepped forward, snatched the gag from my mouth, and made me drink the foul stuff. It tasted awful, like swallowing tar, and burnt too. What was even more awful was that as soon as the hotness dissolved from my mouth, it was replaced with this bitter cold that froze my insides. I shuddered. "Slow and painful," Masila sang. "So it'll take about six hours to kill you, if you're lucky. In the meantime, watch out for unexpected shuddering, mild twitches, and excruciating pain."

"I swear, if I ever get out of this," Kanrik seethed. "You're going to _pay._" That didn't sound very encouraging, if he was talking about avenging my death before it could happen. There's a flash of guilt in his eyes, and I think we both understood what Flynn meant when he said that appealing to Masila's better nature was risky. Not only for him, like he probably thought, but also for me.

"But you won't get out of this," Masila replied. She smiled at a few guys. "Would you please guard him? I don't want him to do anything rash—and Hanso, too." She yawned. "I believe I'll take a nap. Wake me when his final moments are near. You'll now when the horrible convulsing starts. And just so you know, even if you somehow do escape, that poison is incurable." I winced as she left to go to her tent.

Kanrik sighed in agony, and threw me a look. It was the most sympathetic look that he gave me since I disappeared for two months, and for a moment if was nice. Then there was this awful pain in my stomach, and my legs felt like they turned to jelly. I slumped forward. If the ropes weren't holding me up, then I bet I would've fallen over. "Hanso!"I mutter something intelligible through my gag, hopefully comforting. But from the way Kanrik paled, I doubt it worked.

An hour passed, and I shake a bit more. Each time is worse than the previous, but I try to bear it. I spent the time thinking of a plan, but I simply couldn't see a way out of this. To make it even worse, my thoughts begin to get cloudy. Try as I might, I couldn't focus.

Another hour passed. I begin to twitch uncontrollably. You don't know how weird it is when you feel yourself moving when you don't want it to. I try to stop myself, but it doesn't work. There are times when it passes, and I get a brief reprieve. But then it always starts up again.

Another hour, totaling it up to three. My time's half gone. I should've been panicking, but my insides were so cold that I didn't even care at that point. But I looked up, and I saw the sun sinking from yellow to orange to molten red under the bunch of trees that shaded us. A sunset, possibly my last one. A bit of sun rests on me for a moment, trying to warm me up. I blink, and for a few seconds I can think clearly. In a way, that was a magic in itself. But then I slump back, and take to gazing back at the rocks below me.

Something in my mind begins to form. A plan? No, too exact. But an idea? _What idea?_ I wanted to shout. Then I remember that in moments like these, Jacques said, it's best to stay calm. "Your subconscious mind might be thinking of a way out. Just listen carefully. Retrace your trail of thought."

"And if it isn't thinking of a way out?" I remember Juliet inquiring.

The Kyrii Master shrugged. "Then I guess you're screwed."

Sometimes I really hate him.

But I try to retrace the 'trail of thought' anyway. I close my eyes, trying to think. It takes awhile to do this, probably twenty minutes or so—that's kinda scary, fighting so hard to think. What had I been thinking about? Oh, yeah. Yellow, orange, red. Trees. Sunset. Warmth. Clarity. Magic. Rock.

Wait. Magic rock? And suddenly, a half-forgotten conversation comes back to me. I guess you can blame the whole nearly dying thing, though.

"_You're giving me a…rock?" I asked in disbelief._

"_No," Kayley said impatiently. "It's an obsidian stone tinted with magic."_

"_A _magic _rock, then," I said._

_She sighed with exasperation. "Not just a rock. Look, I have a matching pair." She held it up. "At night, hold it up to the moonlight and we can communicate through the reflection. I'll call only when it's urgent. Besides, it's safer than neomail since it can't get intercepted, and it's a lot faster too." _

I realized something—I never gave it back to her. First she was mad, then I was mad…then I guess I just forgot about it. I probably stuffed it in my coat somewhere. I thought harder. Yeah, I definitely stuffed it in my right pocket. Looking up again, I saw that the moon was starting to creep out. I needed to do this now.

I wriggled around, trying to get Kanrik's attention. He was dozing slightly. I made as much noise as I dared. He blinked and nearly jumped, then looked guilty, like he was ashamed that he was sleeping when his ten-year-old-apprentice was slowly dying. I glared at him, and he shrugged, like, What else was I supposed to do?

I looked at him, then at the thugs that were guarding us, and then at him again. I repeated this several times, hoping that he would get the hint. Finally, he realized what I was saying. He took a deep breath. "You guys must be tired," he said conversationally to the thugs. They turned to him. "I mean, you've been standing here all day. We're not going anywhere. Look, we're all shackled up." They didn't look convinced. "I bet your Mistress would like you better all clean and fresh, not ready to slump over." At the mention of their Mistress, they all gasped excitedly. "Go and get cleaned up. We're not going anywhere," Kanrik encouraged. They quickly went away. I was impressed. He wasn't as good as Masila, but he could use that ability of his if he had to. "You have a plan?" he said.

I wriggled a bit more; but instead of the necklace getting out of my coat, it was my gag. Still, I didn't mind that a lot. At least I could insult him. "Me? You're the adult! You're the one who should be thinking of a plan to escape."

"I'm trying," he said miserably. "Escape training was never my strongest suit. It was always combat, attacks, and stealth missions."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, I've thought of something. I just have to…got it!" I said triumphantly. The necklace was out of my coat and into my hands. Then, of course, I just _had _to start twitching. The thing was out of my hands in seconds, and slipped away downward to Kanrik's boot. "Don't kick it!" I said desperately, once I stopped shaking.

"What…?" he began.

"Push it slightly to the moonlight. You have to trust me," I said. I looked at him pointedly. "Something you haven't been doing the past few months."

He sighed and did what I said, pushing it directly to where the moon beams were. The stone was illuminated in ghostly, pale light, and shone brightly. I prayed it would work. A few minutes went pass. Nothing happened.

Kanrik looked at me. "It's not working, is it?"

"I don't know," I said. I bit my lip. "But maybe she's not answering because she's mad at me."

Then, suddenly, the stone began to glow brighter, like it was sucking in the moonlight. A glow pervaded around it, and suddenly Kayley's face appeared. I'd never been gladder to see someone glower at me my entire life. "Why the heck are you calling me?" she snarled loudly. Too loudly. "I can't believe I forgot that you didn't give it back—when I felt my necklace getting warm I thought I was crazy. What, too scared to give it yourself? I can't believe-"

"Shhhh," I said pleadingly. She blinked, as if focusing on my surroundings for the first time.

Her jaw dropped. "Oh, Fyora." Then she turned around a bit and saw Kanrik. "Sweet Mother of light," she whispered. Her eyes darted around. "You're captured, aren't you? In the Assassins' lair?" I nodded. She cursed.

"Tell Marie," Kanrik suggested, once he finally figured out that the thing was a communication device. "And Jacques. Tell anyone you can find in the Guild hideout. We need a rescue team as soon as possible. Get Dr. Kent too; we need a medic here." As if on cue, I began shaking violently.

"Do you think they'll listen to me?" Kayley said uncertainly. She had the look of absolute terror on her face, like I saw when she couldn't decide whether to jump of Charlie's roof or not and when I told her that telling the Guild where I went would doom every person in it. You know, I can never figure out what makes her scared.

"You have to try," I urged. "Kayley, we're counting on y-"

Then a shoe stepped over the obsidian stone and cracked it in half. Kayley's holograph spluttered and went blank. "Well, well, well," Masila sighed. "Looks like I underestimated you, little thief. Both of you." She looked at Kanrik. "Still, I was of the impression that you despised using that talent. There's still some hope for you after all." He glared at her. "And Hanso…a magic obsidian stone, was this?" She looked at it up close. There was genuine regret on her face. "Oh. Now I wish I hadn't broken it. It's nearly as powerful as…another necklace we know, though not in the same way."

I stared at her. I didn't sense any lie, but that was impossible. That little pebble, as powerful as her family artifact? The only thing it could do was transmit messages. Right? And if it didn't, then why in Neopia did Kayley give it to me in the first place?

"I should've checked you more thoroughly," she continued. "Perhaps I would've spotted it, but I was too busy checking for weapons. Ah, well. You've communicated with someone, haven't you?" She sighed. "That, you might know, was foolish. Now I have to kill Kanrik today, despite Layeela." She shrugged. "Oh well. Maybe she'll thank me that I sent her brother up to join her."

"Who are you kidding?" he snapped. "She won't thank you for that!"

She shrugged. "It made me feel better."

"Feel better?" Kanrik said. "Do I see some guilt in there?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Be careful what you say. No, I've gotten rid of feeling guilty a long time ago, thank you very much. And if you're hinting that there's still some of 'Sila' in here, then I'm afraid she's all gone…and if she isn't, then she's very, very annoyed."

"I can tell," he grumbled.

"Vlade!" she called, then cursed when a minion told her that he was sleeping. She shook her head. "Fine, I'll deal with this myself. I'll abdicate in favor of him later or something." She smiled menacingly as she pulled out her dagger. "Well, it's been fun, darling."

"Very fun," Kanrik said, and there was a trace of sincerity in it that made Masila confused for a second. But only for a second. Again, I closed my eyes.

_Clang!_

I was starting to love that sound. I opened my eyes…and what I saw was even _more _shocking that Masila defending Kanrik.

"Miss me?" Hannah said, grinning. She was holding a fancy serving knife, borrowed from who-knows-where, and deflecting Masila's blade.

Masila shrieked. "You!"

Kanrik was just as startled as Masila. "H-Hannah?"

Hannah laughed. "I forgot how much I enjoyed freaking you guys out. Like two peas in a pod, aren't ya?" She smirked. "And people mistake _me _as your girlfriend. I can't believe it."

"What are you doing in Brightvale?" Masila snarled. "Last time my spies checked on you, you were there-"

"Decoys," Hannah said matter-of-factly. "You know a thing or two about that. I heard that you actually used one a few times, too."

"B-but how are you even _here_? I made sure that no form of communication managed to get through…including that letter _he_," Masila glared at me, "Sent you way back in February last year."

Hannah smiled. "Well, you know Hanso. He doesn't give up easily. Where did you think he was for the two months he was missing?" Masila and Kanrik looked like they've both been slapped. Hannah laughed again. "Like I said, two peas in a pod."

"But how?" Kanrik spluttered. "How did you know where we were…and…what were you doing up in that _tree_?" Hannah had leaves all over her hair. Judging by that, I guess she'd jumped out of the canopy above us.

"Well, _that's_ an easy question," Hannah said. She winked at me. "Usuls are prone to trees, usually if they don't want to be seen."

"Now where have I heard that before?" I wondered out loud, my gaze drifting upwards again. A pair of brown eyes answered me, along with a pair of sky blue. Looked like Hannah wasn't the only one who had been hiding. Cautiously, Charlie and Hazel crept out of the thick branches. "Hazel, that was absolutely-"

"Brilliant," Charlie finished, beaming at her.

"It's not over yet," Masila snapped. "You're in _my _camp, if you remember, with no reinforcements-"

"I hope we're not too late?" a voice piped up. I whirled around and saw my parents with _all_ of the Thieves' Guild. I guess they were loyal after all. Jacques and my class was there, too…but I didn't see Kayley anywhere. I shot Juliet a questioning glance. She gave me a reassuring smile, albeit a worried one.

"You're still outnumbered," Vlade said, who marched out of his tent. He was looking a little tired. Masila glowered at him, like _Look who finally showed up. _

"And this is where I come in," Hannah said boldly. She looked at Masila's Assassins. "Look guys, I know that most of you don't even want to be here. I can just _tell. _I bet she promised you something better, huh? A better place for your family," Lobe the Gelert looked down shamefaced, but a Lutari not much older than me put a paw on his shoulder, "Riches, dreams come true, all that stuff. And yeah, it sounds good. But seriously, do you actually believe _she _can make that happen for you?" She stared at everyone in disbelief. "How do you think she'll be able to do that? I bet she suggested the Guild treasury. I bet she said that he haven't been sharing. But do you even remember what that treasury was for?"

"Erm…to keep money in?" someone answered hesitantly.

"No!" Hannah cried. "Well, yes, but do you know who was it for? For people who couldn't provide for themselves. I bet once or twice you needed to get a share of that, too." Now almost everyone looked guilty. "Now, I know I haven't actually been there, but it's rumored that in Galem's rule people were more 'prosperous.' I guess that mean the people high-up in the Guild, AKA his buddies, got more gold. But how 'bout the poor ones? What's their side of the story? This is why people rallied around Kanrik in the beginning, for Fyora's sake! He might not be able to make everyone rich, but at least he'll let everyone SURVIVE."

"What if that's not good enough?" somebody muttered.

"Too bad!" Hannah snapped. "And even if you did manage to kill Kanrik, who's to say that Masila would actually keep her word? Huh? She's is the Mistress of Double-Cross, people! How can you IDIOTS actually just let her lead you on with empty promises?"

What she was saying wasn't pretty, but it was true. I was watching a master of truth-speaking. She wasn't being biased, though I guess she was in support of Kanrik. She was just telling the truth. Masila was about to open her mouth, with Hannah continued, "You had Kanrik for hours, Masila, while I was stuck in a stupid rich people party. Besides, I remember what Kanrik said long ago. _He_ wasn't the one who came up with the system to make everyone equal. It was- who did he say it was?- oh yeah. His best friend, maybe?" Hannah looked pointedly at Masila.

Masila backed away, like she'd been burnt. "Oh, fine, if everyone keeps talking about the past, yes, I did make that up." Her hood hid her eyes. "A long time ago." She looked at everyone, the Assassins and the thieves both. "You're ganging up on me. Great."

"Not all of us, Mistress!" said a pathetic little Ruki. "We still serve you!"

"Patience, darling," Masila said. There was a hint of a smile on her lips. "I know defeat when I see it. Let's all just go peacefully….we'll see this through yet." The Ruki blinked and smirked, like he got a secret message. I dreaded to see what she'd do. But before I could point this out, a wave of nausea took hold of me. It's been six hours, and I forgot. I went on my knees.

"Hanso?" mom's voice rang out. "What happened to him?"

"Poi-soned! Poi-soned! SQUAWK!" Flynn cried. I hated the bird. If I had to die, did his voice have to be the last one I heard? Everyone's attention was on me.

Which was just what Masila wanted. "Now!" And suddenly, the Assassins who were still loyal to Masila ran to the trees, with the thieves still too stunned to go after them. Even so, I thought smugly, there weren't many left. No way would Masila ever be able to rally a force to be scared of. Which honestly, is an okay way to die. My vision was starting to get blurry…little spots went over my eyes….

But I saw enough. Kanrik ran to me. "Hanso, hold on…we have a medic here…" I heard the hopelessness in his voice, though. I talked about potions with Razor once in a while. Cures like this one would take hours to make, and I knew that Masila wasn't lying when she said that the potion was incurable.

Then Masila herself turned around and looked at me. I couldn't read her expression. Amusement? Triumph? Regret? The last one won out, and she sighed. "Kanrik!" she called.

He looked up at her, and his face was angry. "What do you-"

She tossed him a vial. "Catch it!" He grabbed it from the air. "Hanso won this time, fair and square, and I'd hate to see such a young, worthy opponent go to waste."

"You said the poison was incurable," he accused.

"_This _potion can cure anything—I spent years trying to track it down. Just so you know, my debt to Layeela, though I recall_ she_ owed me something too, has been fully paid," she said stiffly. "I'm only sorry I didn't manage to get that potion to her on time." She grimaced and put a hand on her head, like she was getting a big head ache. She glared at me, and I had a feeling that the next time we met she wouldn't be as merciful.

She smiled at the Guild leader evilly. "We'll meet again soon, Kanrik. This isn't over yet." With that, she disappeared.

Kanrik glared at her retreating shadow, then remembered that there were more important matters. Like me dying, for example. "I have to drink that?" I spluttered. It was the color of asparagus! I know I can't afford to be picky, but seriously, any other color would've done.

He shrugged, a little amused. "You've got no choice." He poured the potion into my throat.

It was kinda mellow, like it was thawing out my frozen insides. For all I knew, that's what exactly it was doing. My thoughts cleared. I was able to take control of myself again. And the first thing I did was get up, go to Hannah, and yell at her, "WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?"

"That's the first thing you say after you get out of a sickbed?" Mom scolded. "And what happened to the 'thank you?'"

Hazel and Charlie giggled behind us. Hannah just grinned guiltily. "Okay, fine, I'm sorry. But the timing had to be perfect, for Fyora's sake! When there was no way Masila could recover. If I risked appearing before, Masila would've coated them with lies, saying not to listen to me. Even I can't do anything to breach those types of defenses. And besides, I've been here since November. I did help, you know."

I flashbacked to when a pile of crates dropped, giving me the perfect opportunity to signal to my friends. "That was you?"

"That was me," she confirmed.

I smiled at her grudgingly. "Well, I guess you were pretty helpful in the end. That was actually kinda cool, getting all of them to listen."

She rolled her eyes. "It was just telling the truth. I do it everyday. If I'm serving a guy in the bar is getting drunk, do I ask him politely to stop? Of course not! I shout at him for being a weirdo, and whack him the head for good measure." She smiled again, but a bit sadly this time. "You, on the other hand, kept your promise faithfully. That took some guts, kid. I know a lot of others who would've cracked before then…I saw what they did to you. Made your life a living misery."

I nodded sheepishly. "Oh, well. I'm just glad a few of my friends never doubted me." I grinned at Juliet, and she smiled back. I looked forward-

And gasped. The spy, still hooded, was holding a dagger and approaching when Kanrik's back was turned-

"Kanrik! Watch out!" Hannah cried.

Before he could do anything, Kayley pounced out of nowhere and tackled the spy to the ground. She forced the person to drop the knife, squeezing his or her wrist. Then she threw open the hood. "Let's see who you are," she seethed.

And who was it? A female green Chomby I've never seen before. But she had blood-red eyes…where have I seen that? Kayley snarled. "Hanso, give me the potion!" I grabbed it from my pocket and gave the vial to her. "I should've known you'd be in disguise," Kayley said in disgust. "Let's see who you _really _are." She threw the liquid all over her face.

There was a burning smell, like acid, and the girl screamed. I was about to stop Kayley from doing anything rash, when suddenly I realized that the spy had turned into a Xweetok.

A Xweetok with blood-red eyes.

"_Sasha_?" Hazel gasped. "You're…you're a thief?"

"Assassin. Where else did I learn those thieving skills, you nitwit?" Sasha snapped.

"Hey," Charlie protested. "Don't call her a-" Before he could react, Sasha jumped up, toppled Kayley to the ground, and put her hands around his neck.

"Nobody move or I'll choke him," she warned. We all froze.

"I know you," Kanrik said slowly. "You're one of my advisers!"

Sasha smirked. "I'm also a guard, Hazel's servant, a chef, a journalist, and an actress. A very good actress." _You have a traitor in your midst- one that can play any part well, _Masila said. A guard…she was Susan, wasn't she? All those others were just identities. Why didn't I guess?

"Sasha," Hazel said, her voice quivering, "Put him down."

"I don't think so," Sasha replied carelessly. "I hated him. He gave you so much _confidence_, and many other useless traits that gave you a big head. In fact, I think it's because of him that I lost my job at your house."

"That's not true!" Hazel yelped. "It's mine! Please, don't hurt him!" Sasha laughed. Charlie started becoming blue, and he was thrashing to and fro. He's already delicate from the fire. Who knew how much he could stand?

Then something changed in Hazel's expression. And I saw something that I've seen frequently in her siblings' faces, but I never, ever imagined to be on hers. I can't say what, but…it was that fieriness that I guess the whole family had. "Put him down," Hazel repeated. With a start, I realized her voice changed, too. Lower. Sweeter. Dangerous. Persuasive. "Put. Him. DOWN!" she yelled.

Sasha's hands moved of their own accord. They released Hazel, and Sasha took a step back. I was shuddering, too. With a voice like that, someday she could even be more powerful than Masila. Charlie looked at her with shock. "Hazel, are you okay?"

The little girl was down on her knees, shaking. I cursed. I had to remember that no matter how nice her voice was, she was no Masila. She was still delicate. "Are you okay?" I echoed Charlie's question.

"Bah!" Sasha said, waking up. "You caught me off-guard. Ah, well, Masila will be very interested to here about this. See you soon!" I didn't know how she was planning to escape. She was completely surrounded. But then, her form started changing, and she….she turned into a Petri. A _Petri. _With blood-red eyes that looked at me with hate. She smiled menacingly, and then promptly flew away.

"What just happened?" Hannah said, voicing my thoughts exactly.

"Sasha," Kayley explained. "She's a-"

"Shape-shifter," Hazel finished.

Kayley glared at her. "You _knew_? That kind of knowledge would've been _helpful, _you know. It took me MONTHS to discover how she got past the security spells. Rich girl, explain yourself right now!" Hazel cowered before her. She sighed. "Please?"

"I wasn't sure," Hazel whimpered. "In fact, the only time I saw her do it was once when I had to go to the kitchen for a glass of water. She turned into a Lenny to reach something from a shelf. I thought it was just a trick of the light." She looked down. "I guess I should've seen it. Violet's letters come so frequently now…someone was stealing them until Sasha went away. I thought it was Ebony at first, but I realized he wouldn't do that. He'd wave the message in front of me and throw it in the fire, not hide it." She looked at me. "Violet always sends very detailed letters about you and Brynn and everyone else…I think that's how Masila knew everyone."

"Oh," I said.

"It's not your fault," Hannah said to her warmly. "No one could've guessed it. You coming to me was the bravest thing anyone could've done—lucky I keep track of the fan mail, huh?" She grinned, and explained to me, "I was getting tired of living in the inn. I knew I had some friends in the rich kid neighborhood, and she seemed like the perfect choice once I learned that her sister was in the guard. I had no idea she was already friends with you."

"That's what you were going to tell me earlier?" I said with a smile. She nodded sheepishly.

"Speaking of 'telling,'" Hannah said. "How'd you pull that thing off with that Sasha girl there?"

"I don't know," Hazel said. "I don't want to talk about it. It must've been luck."

"I doubt it," Hannah said. "You have that persuading talent thing, I bet."

She shook her head quickly. "I don't want that talent," she whispered. "And even if I did, I'm sure I can't control it."

"Then how did you do it earlier?" Charlie asked, feeling his throat. He looked shaken but unhurt. He gave Hazel an indulgent smile, which she returned.

She shrugged. "She could make me do the chores, get rid of Violet, make my father and brother hate me, and steal all my things." A hint of the fieriness pervaded around her face. "But she was _not _going to hurt my best friend."

We all decided that we'd stay in the Assassins' camp for the night. It was actually pretty comfortable. So comfortable, in fact, that a bunch of thieves complained why couldn't the Guild's lair be _this _nice? Kanrik reminded them that this camp would've been freezing cold in the winter months, but he looked around wistfully, too. Everyone was arranged near the camp-fire. I noticed that Kanrik and Hannah were talking heatedly. Once she pointed to me, and I audibly heard her say, "You're an idiot, y'know that? He risked his life to save you! You can't just leave him an 'I'm sorry' and go away. That's exactly what you did to me!" They continued bickering.

Mom and Dad were watching my every move. If I dared get poisoned again, I'd be eating asparagus for the rest of my life. But evcentually they both fell asleep, and I managed to get some free time around the camp. Hazel and Charlie already went home, so I couldn't talk to them about Hazel's little talent. Too bad.

I began drifting to the forest. I couldn't help it. I mean, I know it was dangerous and I definitely had enough danger for one day, but I needed a place to think. I went deeper and deeper into the woods. I probably would've gone even deeper, if I hadn't run into Kayley.

Her head was in her hands, but she didn't seem to be sobbing, at least that much. She wasn't sleeping, either. I thought that maybe she didn't want to be bothered, but I wanted to talk to her. Gently, I tapped her shoulder.

She jumped and grabbed her dagger, but sheathed it again when she saw who I was. "Oh. Hanso." She looked away. "You're okay now, right?"

"From the poison? Yeah. Thanks for calling the cavalry," I said.

She shrugged. "It was nothing—Kanrik improved the system a lot. It took only a few minutes instead of a few hours to call them." I could see she was clutching something behind her.

"Hey, what's that?" I questioned. For a moment, she considered if she should tell me or not. Then she sighed, like there was no point. She opened her hand, which held a cracked obsidian stone. "Oh." I felt really guilty, even though I knew if I didn't use it I'd have died. "I'm really sorry, Kayley," I said. "I'll get you another one-"

"You can't," she replied. "There are only three in Neopia. Well, one now. And the third one was buried with a dead guy."

I bit my lip. "Well…at least you still have the other one, right?"

"Wrong," she said. She held out her other hand, and it showed that her stone was as cracked as mine. "These two were intertwined with magic. If one breaks, the other breaks."

I winced. "Why did you give it to me?" I asked. "Masila said it was powerful. It is, I guess, but I don't see how communicating could be called that power-"

"It did _so _much more than communicating, Hanso," she told me. "I just never showed you all of its abilities. It would've been dangerous, and you wouldn't have been able to control them anyway."

"But you could?" I said with disbelief.

"Nope," she said. "I could have, once, but….not now. In fact, there was only one ability I could've used besides the communication thing."

"Which was?"

"It doesn't matter now," she pointed out. She gave me a bitter smile. "Maybe Razor was right about the Karma thing. I indirectly broke that guard girl's necklace, remember? Now mine cracks in half."

"Karma doesn't exist," I said firmly.

She rolled her eyes, which I noticed were tinged with red. "Don't worry about it, Hanso," she said. "If I had to choose to save the necklace or you, you'd be my priority." It sounded automatic, like she rehearsed this line a hundred times. But it was true, and I was grateful for that. "Besides, it wasn't the magic stone that upsets me. I'm not one to mourn for jewelry, no matter how priceless it is. It's just…the person who gave it to me." And for a moment, she had a half-smile on her lips, like remembering a distant, happy memory. Then her face darkened again, and she shook her head. "Take them," she said, shoving them to me.

"What?" I spluttered.

"I don't want to see them anymore," she whispered. "I can't."

"What if I try to fix it?" I said desperately.

She shook her head. "Unfixable. You'll need powerful magic to do that. Just take them, Hanso. Please. It'd be the biggest favor you'd do for me."

I sighed and looked at the matching pair of stones. "Okay."

"Thanks." And just like Masila, she disappeared.

Week 3

The Thieves' Guild were busy trying to put things back to normal. The 'redeemed' Assassins came finally came back, muttering apologies. The kids whose parents were Assassins were going to return to school soon, but most opted to stay home for the time being to help their parents repair the damage. Jacques hinted we were going to have a few more kids in class….next year.

"Why next year?" I asked.

He shrugged. "There was a _lot _of damage, Hanso, and I doubt that you would want to face the people you turned on either." That shut me up. "But hey, if we're lucky some could come this year."

Hannah wasn't helping. She constantly annoyed Kanrik when he was giving orders, making the one he was them telling to confused. I could tell they were arguing about something, but I wasn't sure what. Anyway, I haven't approached my mentor since our last little outing.

But that was all right. Finally, I stopped getting picked on; Nort and his gang were actually _punished. _But not by Kanrik. Hannah had been making _their _lives a living misery, putting stuff in their drinks that made them act crazy, pulling pranks on them…it was hilarious, and I didn't have the heart to tell her to stop. He did deserve it.

My class finally didn't have doubts on me, either. Kayley and Juliet both knew I was innocent—it was Razor and Julius that weren't so sure. They both apologized to me, one night when we were all staying in the Guild late. "Sorry, Hanso," Julius said, shrugging. "I'm not the best judge of character, am I?"

"It's fine," I assured him.

"I just didn't want my little sister to get hurt. When she wants to be friends with someone, she _stays _friends," he said darkly. "A bit foolish, in my opinion, but I guess I can't really talk. She has the common sense. In fact, the only people she really can't stand is the-" He shut his mouth.

"The what?" I asked.

"Nothing," Juliet said quickly, giving her brother a glare. "They're just….jerks. I'll tell you about them one day."

I could tell she didn't want to talk about it, so I just said, "Okay. But you better—I can't imagine any person not liking you."

"Uh-huh," Julius said.

"I'm sorry too," Razor piped up. "I mean, I guess I didn't do anything and I still helped and I was also unsure and—"

"I get it, Big Guy," I said mischievously.

He gave me a grin…and then paled. "Hanso, did you invite any friends tonight?"

"What? You're all here," I pointed out. Kayley, the twins, and him were all sitting in the table. There's the rich kids, but of course they're all tucked away in their fancy mansions. Who would he be talking about?"

"Seriously, Hanso," he hissed, shrinking below the table. "_Who did you tell the location of the Guild hideout?" _

I had no idea what he was talking about, so I looked around. The Guild was perfect. No one was scared anymore, and everyone was laughing freely. Fresh, colorful tapestries decorated the whole place, there were serving a few delicious free meals, a roaring fire came from the fireplace, Brynn was in the Guild….

Wait. Brynn was in the Guild?

Oh no, no, no, this could NOT be happening. How did she find us? I was panicking. If she arrested us all now, this would look very bad for me. And just after I got my name cleared, too. Darn.

I guess it was also a good thing that she was sort of disguised. She wasn't wearing her uniform, and her hair was loose. In fact, she kinda looked nice that way, especially without that helmet. But she had her signature glare, which told me _Shut up or I'll kill you. _

In the corner of my mouth so she wouldn't see, I said, "It's Brynn."

The whole table stiffened. Kayley said softly but dangerously, "Oh, good. I can kill her now—she's in our territory."

"No!" Juliet protested. "That Sam is with her too, right?" I hadn't thought of that. "You can't challenge him."

"Wanna bet?" Kayley said, reaching for her dagger.

"We snuck into the Guards' base a few times," Juliet argued. "We always get away. Let her go at least once…please?" She pouted. "You know how she's useful, and Kanrik said we have to help Hanso. I mean, I know he's not allowed anymore but I'm pretty sure that Kanrik's going to reinstate the order again and-

Kayley rolled her eyes. "Fine! Fine! I'm not going to kill her! But just this once. Next time she goes in here, I hang her myself."

"Hanging?" Juliet said with a small smirk. "Isn't that a little medieval? Even if we are in Brightvale."

"Excuse me a minute," I said. Brynn was tapping her foot impatiently. She wasn't arresting everyone on sight, so…did she come all the way here to arrest _me _for something?

"Be careful, Hanso," Kayley warned.

I led Brynn to a corridor which I knew would be empty. Perfect place for an ambush, but she followed me anyway. As soon as we were out of earshot from the others, I immediately said (without too much calmness), "What are you doing here? Are you _crazy_? They'll notice you straight away!"

"I know," she agreed.

I stared at her. "If they catch you do you have _any_ idea what they'll do to you?

"Yes," she replied.

"Brynn, seriously this is-"

"Hanso!" she snapped, probably tired of me talking too much.

I looked at her warily. "What?"

"I need to know where Kanrik's office is," she told me. I looked at her in disbelief. Did she seriously expect me to just hand over my Guild leader's office?

But then again, I knew Brynn wasn't stupid. She wouldn't ask without a reason. Carefully, I asked, "Why?"

Then she said the only thing that could terrify me even more. "Masila's coming."

WHAT? I wanted to scream. We just got rid of her last week, didn't we? Why…how…it clicked. Why Brynn came herself, why she was determined to get answers. I tried to keep myself under control and asked shakily, "How does she know where the base is? Kanrik said he'd moved it since she was in the Guild!"

"I don't know."

"How do you even know where the base is?" I accused. How did she even get here? I didn't leave her any clue, any, that would help. I hate my luck. They've only just put down the extra defenses they put in for Masila. The only consolation I could think of was that once Brynn gets out of here, she'll forget where the place was. You have to have thieves' blood to remember.

"I don't."

I stared at her. "Then how are you here?"

"Sam took us here." So, she came with someone else that did have thieves' blood. I looked in the corner and found Sam. That explained it. But seriously, he wouldn't betray the Thieves' Guild! Even if he is a guard, his mom is a thief. Why would he do that?

"Us?" I squeaked. Peeking just a tiny bit further, I saw that she also brought Violet, two little kids, and Sophia. Huh. Razor said he knew Sophia, but she didn't know he was a thief. I guess that's why he was scared.

"Don't worry, I promise this isn't an ambush or anything," she assured me. "I just need to know where Kanrik's office is."

I immediately felt a prickle of nervousness again. "If I tell you and you kill him or something…" I shook my head.

"I'm not going to kill him!" she snapped.

I sighed. _Trust, _Flynn said. If it was just the bird's opinion, if I didn't know his scary predictions could come true, then I would just ignore it. But they do. And I made a resolution. "It's down there," I said, pointing down the corridor. "Then left. It says 'Kanrik' on the door."

"Thanks," she said, giving me a small smile. And for some reason, that made the entire risk worth it.

When I got back on the table, Kayley immediately said, "You told her where Kanrik is, didn't you? I bet that's what they're after."

"Maybe," I said.

"Hanso!" she shook her head in disgust. "Let's just hope you didn't just doom us all." With that, she left the table in a huff.

Week 4

I hate myself. I seriously hate myself.

It was around midnight when somebody knocked on our apartment door. I quickly woke up. Even though I was usually a light sleeper, I kept getting nightmares. I heard Mom creaking downstairs—it definitely wasn't Dad, because it's always useless to get him up before eight o'clock a.m. I opened my door and joined her.

"Hanso?" she said sleepily. She obviously just got up, but even then she was pretty. In a dignified-Mom sort of way. She was holding her knife, like it was the most normal thing to meet at midnight. "You can go back to sleep; it's probably nothing, maybe some would-be thief that wanted to rob us." She snorted. "It wouldn't be the first time."

"Still," I said nervously.

"So gallant," she said with a smile. She opened the door.

It was Hannah. "Woah, woah, woah!" she said, leaping back. "Put the knife down! Is that anyway to treat your visitors?" Mom raised her eyebrows. "Well, I know it's the middle of the night, but…Hanso lives here, right?"

"Yeah," I said.

She looked at me, worried. "Do you know where Kanrik is?"

I felt a sort of dread overcome me. "No…."

Hannah swore loudly, earning her a glare from Mom. "That Masila. She took him right from underneath my nose! I can't believe it. I checked on him a few hours ago, and he was just gone. The Guild's in pandemonium…"

"Gone?" I squealed.

"Yes, gone." Hannah sighed. "I planned carefully for months. Then he just disappears to thin air. Where could he have gone? Do you know any place?"

"Of course he doesn't," Mom said. "He just-"

"I do," I said quietly. Mom stared at me, now wide awake. "Remember Brynn? My guard friend?"

Hannah frowned. "You weren't lying about her?"

"He doesn't lie," Mom said. She sighed, looking resigned. "What about her?"

"She sorta kinda appeared in the Guild last night."

"WHAT?" Hannah spluttered. "I couldn't find the defenses, and I've been an explorer my entire life! How did she-?"

"Sam," my mom said suddenly. "But why would he show her? It doesn't make sense."

"Yeah. I told them where Kanrik's office was-" there was a gasp from both women – "and they said that Masila's coming, and that she knew where the Guild was."

"That's impossible," Hannah said. "She couldn't have-!" And then her eyes widened. "That scheming little bi-"

"Ahem," Mom said.

"Sorry," Hannah apologized. She looked at me. "Can't you see it? Masila was bluffing! She _wanted_ Sam to get Kanrik out of there, where he was protected. Sam probably tried to put him in another location. But I know that it can't be safer; he'll be more vulnerable everywhere else. I mean, what other location is safer than the Thieves Guild?"

I felt like a complete idiot. Why didn't I think of that? Ugh! "Sorry," I muttered.

"It's not your fault, kid," Hannah said. "That devious little trickster fooled all of us. I just hope that that Sam kid picked a good enough place that wouldn't be _too _easy for Masila to break in." She sighed. "In the meantime, I'll tell the other thieves to check in the places where Guards usually associate. Like jail."

"Unlikely," I said dryly.

She shrugged. "Anyway, for now I'm the self-appointed leader of the Thieves' Guild."

Mom made a little choking sound. "And they allowed that?"

"Oh, of course not," Hannah said airily. "Then I reminded him how dumb they were to actually fall for Masila's little 'I'll-make-you-rich' act. They shut up pretty quickly after that."

"Of course they did," I said.

She gave me a small smile. "Good luck, kid. You're gonna face a lot of accusations, I'm sorry to say—and even I can't get you out of this one."

**That was another looooong piece. I'll try to make the next one a teeny bit shorter. Oh, and in case your wondering, that really was the spy. :D **


	39. March at Age 10

**So yeah…I'm back. :D Sorry it's so late. Anyways, Happy New Year! Cross your fingers that it isn't the end of the world. **

The Month of Running (March) Age 10

Week 1

I'm writing this in my bedroom at around midnight. I don't have any time to do it during the day, because it's risky getting seen with it. Nort, who has no doubt been spying on me, claimed that I have a notebook in which I put all my devious plans and stuff. If someone sees this and asks to look it over…well, it isn't a notebook of plans, but some of the stuff written here could_ so_ get me kicked out.

Not that I'm not in the brink of getting kicked out anyway.

Maybe I should've seen it coming. I mean, seriously, what gave me the assurance that Brynn was really my friend? Sure she didn't seem as determined to throw me in jail as Violet, and maybe she is the nicest guard (heck, nicest person) I've met, but that doesn't mean that she actually likes me. All week, Kayley has been glaring at me, though I'm thankful she didn't do anything else. It would've killed me if she said something like, "I told you so."

Briefly, I wondered about the fact. For someone who hates guards, she didn't to be as crazy as everybody else. She even seemed…calm. What would she have acted when we were seven? Probably rub it all over my face and gloat. But I guess it's safe to say that she's changed a little bit. What really bothered me, though, was when I asked her about it earlier in class. Well, sort of. It kinda went like this.

I was sitting slumped in a chair with no doubt a miserable look on my face. Juliet had tried to cheer me up earlier. I think it would've worked (she is pretty funny) but whenever I start cracking up I thought of how Brynn betrayed me and the smile just slides of my face. Juliet then offered me candy. I refused.

I saw the Wocky twin go over to Kayley and nudge her. Kayley glared, but Juliet stayed firm and pointed at me. I wondered what they were talking about. Juliet then whispered something to her, which made Kayley stiffen rigidly. Kayley then shook her head, sighed, stood up, and walked over to me. "Hey," she said, pulling up a chair. "Why the long face?"

I buried my head in my hands. "Are you mocking me?"

"No! Well…ugh…to be honest, I'm here just to escape Flynn," she mumbled.

I stared. "What?"

"Juliet's threatened to sic 'im on me if I don't cheer you up." She sighed exasperatedly. "Despite last month's little incident, she's actually quite attached to him. Why and how, I cannot say." I smiled slightly, thinking she was joking, but she just stared straight ahead. What's weird, now that I think of it, is that she never ever _really_ smiles. Julius once swore that she did a long time ago, when he helped her decide to keep Lilia as his little kid, but I always thought he was kidding or something. "I hate it when you're miserable," she said unexpectedly.

I snorted. "Isn't what you're always trying to make me?"

"Why would you say that?" she asked.

"Well, 'cause you're always trying to screw up my plans. And where the guards are concerned, you're unreasonable."

"Believe it or not, I do have a reason on loathing them," she snapped.

"Like what?" I said skeptically. "You never seem to offer any opinions. It's always secrets with you."

"Some things are best-" she began.

"Left unsaid," I finished. "I get it. But still, even now, I don't really know a thing about you."

She arced an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Where you were live, why you're always so nervous, you know, stuff like that," I said. "I keep thinking about what makes you tick."

"And you need to know that…why?"

"Why shouldn't I know it? We've been friends-er, acquaintances," I quickly amended when she began glowering at me, "for years. Don't I at least deserve to know some things about you?"

"What if I say no?"

"Well, then-"

"Oh, forget it. This conversation is getting us nowhere," she said angrily. "Fine. I was born on Terror Mountain, but I moved here when I was like two or something. As for being paranoid, well, that just keeps us alive most of the time. If I hadn't been paying attention, Kanrik would've gotten killed last month. Of course, it's probably it was probably unnecessary, since _someone_-" She stopped herself.

"Since someone got a guard to arrest him? Yeah, I know," I said, slinking back.

"No!" she exclaimed, with an edge on her voice. "Because you would've saved him anyway."

"What?" I blurted out. "I wouldn't have been able to-"

"You're underestimating yourself again," she said. "Ironic, since at the beginning you thought you were always going to be the best."

"Yeah, well, I was wrong. No one but me would've idiotically told a guard where the Guild Leader was just because she asked nicely. I am so stupid."

"True," she agreed. "But you'll figure your way out of this one. You always do."

"Not without other people helping me," I reminded her. Then I grinned and conceded, "Still, I am pretty awesome…"

"Oh, good, you're cheered up," she said, annoyed. "Once you start clowning around, you're okay."

"Yeah," I said, and then I thought of Brynn again. I cringed.

"Uh-oh," Kayley said. "Here comes that frown again." She studied me. "She didn't do it, you know."

"What?"

"Bry-your guard friend," she said quickly. "She didn't betray you."

I gaped at her. "She arrested the Guild Leader! Everyone hates me because I showed her where he was!"

"All the same, she wouldn't have," Kayley said stubbornly.

"How would you know?"

"She just wouldn't, okay? Jeez, things must be really messed up if I'm the one encouraging you to believe in your friend." She shook her head. "I'll prove it next week." She began to walk away.

"Hey, wait! You haven't finished telling me about yourself yet!"

She stared. "Am I really that fascinating?"

"You're so secretive all the time! Who wouldn't want to know about you?"

"Whereas you on the other hand just keep blabbering about yourself. Fine, what do you want to know?"

I thought for a moment. "Your family?" I shouldn't have said that. She quickly retreated back to her cold, calculating demeanor. Just when I thought when we were finally getting somewhere.

"Not open for discussion," she snapped, a few wisps of her hair covering her steely grey eyes. Her fists were clenched.

"Aw, come on-"

"Shut up! Just because your family is just _perfect _doesn't mean-" She stopped herself again. "Whatever. I just don't want to talk about my family or myself in general. Why I even gave you that amount of information earlier…" She rolled her eyes and stormed off. I groaned inwardly—it was back to stage one.

But the stuff that she did tell me was pretty fascinating. I mean, she used to live in Terror Mountain?

There's something else, too. When I went home, I saw a few people, probably thieves, looking at the house. Mom and Dad could definitely beat them all in a fight, but something tells me that that isn't what they're planning. Wait a minute. If they aren't planning a robbery or murder, that means they're going to kidnap—

* * *

><p>Well, that was traumatizing. It's around three a.m. now. Two hours earlier, while I was writing, I heard a noise coming from under my bed. I guess by now I should know that there's no boogie man, and if there is my parents would beat the crap out of him, but I was still seriously freaked out. I only had time to shove the journal under my pillow when this Hissi snakes up to me. "Hansel, right?" he said in a deep voice.<p>

I quailed, but even then I was irritated with the name thing to stay quiet. "Hanso," I corrected, glaring at him. "I'm warning you, my parents are just at the end of the corridor and they'll come right here if I scream. I'm not so bad with the dagger myself."

The Hissi laughed. "You have spunk, kid, I'll admit that. Your parents already know."

"Whaa-?"

"They're not allowed to accompany you to our little meeting place…so not as too counsel you what to do, you see?"

"Little meeting place?" I studied him. "Who are you? Where are we going?"

He snickered. "For the place, well, you'll see soon for yourself. And don't you know it's bad luck for thieves tell you what they're called? Well, since you're a child…I'll say that my name is Master Serpent. I'm Kanrik's new second-in-command." The last piece of information startled me. I looked at him again.

He was green, with calculating dark eyes and a wise expression. Even though it was really creepy of him to come to my bedroom and stuff, I think I like him. He was a lot better than Vlade or Zida, that was for sure. But there was something…odd about him. His face seemed so wrinkly and haggard, even for a Hissi. "How old are you?" I asked him.

His grim face broke into a small smile. "Now _that's _a really rude question. Let's just say a Hissi sheds his skin two times a year. I've shed my skin one hundred and fifty times." As I was busy calculating, he continued, "We really do have to go. Come on, you can ride on my back. We have a long way ahead of us."

Riding a Hissi is not fun. They slither around on the ground, so even if you're going on a perfectly straight road, they go left and right, left and right. I was almost sick. I got even more scared when I realized how far from Brightvale we've been—it had already been an hour, and we even had to stop twice because we had to climb a few steep hills. Jacques taught us basic navigation, so judging from the star and the direction we were going, we were heading straight for-

"The Haunted Woods?" I shrieked. "That's where we're going?"

"Not too far in," the Hissi assured me. Pretty soon, we came upon what looked like a few old ruins. We went in a little deeper, until we were stopped by some Skeith that came out of nowhere.

"Ah!" I freaked out when he came at us, landing on my bottom.

"Heh. Don't worry, kid. I have orders not to hurt you. Yet," he added hopefully. He examined me. "So this is the famous Hanso, huh? We're your ID?"

"My ID?"

"Oh, since you don't have ID then maybe I can hurt you a tiny bit-"

"Yab," Serpent snapped. "I dragged him out of bed. My ID should be good enough for both of us." He flashed a pendant at the Skeith, and I realized it was the one all the Thieves' Guild members had—a tiny piece of the Heart of the Mountain encircled with a golden Cobrall. He quickly slithered into the entrance, with me on his back. "Fools. Think they could do a better job than Kanrik."

"Now I officially like you," I announced. Any person who says 'fools' is awesome. "I just finished calculating. You're…what, seventy-five years old?"

"Yes," he replied. "I've been around even since Galem Darkhand's grandfather's days." He shuddered.

"What was he like? Galem, I mean," I said. I was really curious. Who was this guy that Kanrik killed? I saw through Marie's looking glass that he was a jerk when he was a kid, but I didn't know who he was as an adult.

"A complete jerk," he answered. So nothing had changed. "But a powerful and cunning one, too," he amended. "His downfall was that he didn't know who he could trust. He was right when he kept an eye on Kanrik, but he was a complete idiot if he thought that he won Masila over. Some wounds run too deep to be healed."

"Masila? You knew her?"

"Of course I did," he said indignantly. "One of the cleverest girls I know. Rather shocking when she betrayed Kanrik, of all people. She was his best friend. Besides that, she played a big part by getting many of the Thieves' Guild to support Kanrik overthrowing Galem. Without her, he never would've won." He sighed. "Rather a pity we're fighting her. She was the one who convinced _me_ to be loyal to Kanrik, despite me supporting the 'old blood,' as you say."

"Wow," I said, slightly shocked. Then, I said after a bit, "Just wondering, Master Serpent, but aren't you a little old to be second-in-command?" I was afraid that he'd take it the wrong way, but he just nodded like it was a good question.

"We've been having too much treachery in the Guild," he said simply. "Vlade was a very good example. He betrayed Kanrik without a second thought, and would stupidly kill just for the thrill of it. Kanrik needs a second-in-command he can trust completely, and I managed to fit the bill. I'd been advising his ever since he first took his position. But you're right, I'm getting to old. The second-in-command place usually goes to someone young, since he inherits the Guild when Kanrik's gone…so to be honest, I'm kind of just a place-holder."

"A place-holder?" I asked.

"You know. Someone to fill in until somebody with more potential comes along. Then I can retire in peace," he said contentedly. He winked at me. "I think I know who the next person's going to be." And I think I know what I want to be when I grow up. "Kid, you might want to look around now."

I did—and gasped. It was ten times larger than the Thieves' Guild, with a maze of halls and a fire pit burning at the center. Thieves (all adults) were bustling to and fro, talking in whispers like some giant hub. Despite the many people, though, it seemed like the place had been abandoned a long time ago. Cobwebs lined some corners, and once and awhile I had a coughing fit because of the dust. "What is this place?"

"An abandoned headquarters," Serpent answered. "Before we came to Brightvale, we went all over Neopia to see where we could settle down. Mystery Island, Kiko Lake, Maraqua…those were our failed attempts. This was our last stop before permanently staying; a few people got a little too, well, freaked out to stay here, but we keep this place for council meetings."

"What are council meetings?" I said curiously. If there's one cool thing about hanging around old people, it's that you get to learn loads of stuff.

"It's when we decide what's going to happen. Ever since Kanrik overthrew Galem, we decided we didn't want to be dictated again." He smirked. "Rather ironic, because it was Masila and Kanrik who first threw the council meetings. They called us once in a secret location in Terror Mountain, away from the Guild, and told us our plans to overthrow Galem. We supported them, and that gave them the rallying force. Now, it's more like we discuss stuff that the Guild Leader might not deem appropriate."

"But isn't that mutiny?" I asked.

He laughed. "Oh, Kanrik knows about it. He leaves them be since they actually agree with his decision in the end, and it gives them an illusion of freedom. Your mom and dad are his main spies."

"Whoa," I marveled. "Hey, wait a minute. Kanrik's missing. You don't have to hide!"

"We're not hiding from _him. _We're hiding from our, ah, illustrious Guild Mistress." I smirked. Okay, I get that. Though Hannah is undoubtedly the best explorer ever, she's _awful _at managing a Guild. Dad's always arguing with her about something or another while Mom desperately tries to clean up her messes. It's chaos. Even Mortak wants Kanrik back—which could actually be the whole point of her little tirade.

We soon entered a tunnel and took a few turns to what seemed like a huge courtroom. I gulped. "Um, why is everyone staring at me?"

"Because you're about to be tried," he said. I got off his back slowly. "Don't worry about it. Your parents will get you out of this—they're the most resourceful couple I know, excepting Masila and Kanrik. Marie would be here too, if not for her being in as precarious situation as you are."

"Why? What did she do?"

He snorted. "You kidding? Her son just led guards into the Thieves' Guild hideout. Even she has trouble explaining what happened. Of course she's going to be held in captivity until something clears her name. But for now, let's focus on cleaning up yours." He whispered, "Good luck, kid. You're going to need it, with Mortak as the judge."

Wait. Mortak's the judge? As in, the guy I demoted when I was eight year old? The guy who undoubtedly wants revenge, and whose son tried to make my life living torture? Yep, if I'm surviving this I'm so going to need luck. Or, I reflected, Kayley with a dagger next to me.

Mortak sat on a high desk, looking important. He gestured me to sit on what looked like an ordinary school table, which was a lot lower than his. It made me feel really silly, like a little kid being judged on eating peanut butter straight from the jar. He eyed me greedily, no doubt wanting to inflict the most painful punishment he could give. "So," he started.

"We meet again," I finished, grinning. I always wanted to say that. Apparently, he did too. He scowled at me.

"You're in no position to talk, young man," he said sternly. "Our source-" Meaning Nort- "tells us that you've conspired with a guard girl named Brynn and showed her the location of the guild master's quarters. Is this true?" I shrank in my chair.

"Yeah," I admitted. "But-"

"You see! He admits it!" Mortak roared. "I vote that he gets kicked out of the Guild immediately and permanently! All in favor?"

Almost all hands shot up, but Dad interrupted, "Now wait just a second!" Everyone turned to him. "Guys, there's probably a plausible explanation for why he acted like this. I mean, he could've been under a spell! Amazing enough that she even found the place-"

"We already reasoned that she arrived with somebody with thieves' blood," Mortak said. "Namely, Sam. We should've taken care of him a long time ago, what with being both a thief and guard's son as well as becoming a guard himself and knowing where the Guild hideout is. I'm surprised we haven't been found out sooner."

"The guard girl's also the one who captured Kanrik before!" another voice rang out.

"And remember," somebody said, "Lizzie herself is friends with Marie!"

"What's that got to do with anything?" Mom snapped, standing up as well. She looked murderous. "This whole thing's ridiculous. She was already in the Guild, and would've no doubt found Kanrik's office anyway even if he didn't help her. Hanso and her have been friendly all year, _with Kanrik's permission. _We already know that its Hanso's mission to try and get on her good side when she grows up, with the belief that she'll hold an important position someday. There's no way possible that the guard girl could've found out, so she obviously didn't mean any harm. Sam is Marie's son. Even if he is a guard now, he wouldn't let any harm come to the Guild!"

"And why's that?" Mortak asked.

"He wouldn't betray his own mother, or family for that matter. No child would-" She glared at him. "Hanso didn't do anything wrong. This is about something else, isn't it? About _me._" Immediately, the hall filled with mutterings. But I didn't get it. What did she mean?

"People," Dad said exasperatedly. "We settled this years ago! This should not be an issue right now!"

"What if we changed our mind?" someone called.

"And besides," said Mortak gleefully, "Hanso could've been easily be corrupted because-"

"He doesn't even know!" Mom yelled. Instantly, the hall silenced. Mom looked at them, with a triumphant smile on her lips. "I kept this information from him because I _knew _you would hold it against him! I can tell you right now he doesn't know a jot of it. Ask your son," she added. "He's been using the knowledge as torture. This is the only reason why I didn't put a stop to it."

Mortak slowly turned to Nort. "Is this true?" he said weakly. "He really doesn't know?"

Nort bit his lip. "Sorry, Dad. Yeah, he doesn't know." Mortak groaned.

"Case closed," Dad said. "He's not guilty. Can we go back to bed now?" There were mutinous mutterings all around, and I had a feeling that this wouldn't be completely over until Kanrik gets back. If he gets back. But I guess everybody was tired, so they agreed and everyone began filing out the door. Master Serpent gave me a nod as he passed. At least Kanrik's finally choosing some competent members for his council.

Dad and Mom said a few things to this Xweetok with long, black hair. Two other women who looked like her stood by. I guessed they were sisters, the youngest still a teenager around seventeen, give or take a few years. She gave me a nice smile, but I noticed her fingering her knife nervously. "I think your son's waiting for you," she said to Mom.

Dad grinned at me tiredly. "Some night, huh? And to think you're still supposed to go to school."

"Yeah," I agreed as we walked back. It would take us a long time to get home, but I didn't mind at that point. "What happened there, anyway? What is it that I don't know?"

"Sweetheart," said Mom, "Not knowing that is the only thing keeping you alive right now."

"But-"

"Hanso," Dad hissed. "You really can't keep track of the date, can you?" Oh, yeah, the first of March, AKA, Mom's birthday and my parents' anniversary. You know, I always suspected they got married on that day to save Dad from forgetting Mom's birthday. Normally I don't have to get them anything—but for that one day, I have to do whatever they want (especially Mom). And apparently, what they wanted was for me to be quiet and never ask about whatever they were talking about again.

"Maybe someday you'll find out," Mom conceded, seeing me grumbling. "But now the knowledge is too much trouble. And besides, some things-"

"Are better left unsaid," I finished.

Week 2

Kayley might've been mad at me, but she didn't forget her promise. We had a field trip again (Jacques had to meet up with other thieves), and I was planning to do a wide berth around the castle, or maybe just go home. I so didn't want to talk to Brynn again. It would be humiliating enough. Kayley, however, was having none of it. She grabbed my wrist when she saw that I was trying to leave. "Marketplace, Hanso. The number of times you've seen your guard friend there, I would've thought you'd already known where it was."

"What? But I'm not going to the marketplace!" I protested, struggling against her grip. "I never want to talk to Brynn again!"

She looked at me, her eyebrows raised. "Wow, you must be really mad at her. You aren't lying."

"Of course I am! I mean, of course not! I mean…." I began to get really confused. "Why do you care, anyway? You wanted me to hate Brynn since day one."

"Pfft, if you were doing this when we were seven I would be singing praises," she said scornfully. "But Kanrik says it's allowed, and if you're not going to talk to her anymore, it should be because of the right reasons: like, she's a guard. But it shouldn't be something that she didn't do. Even I think that's not fair."

"Life isn't fair."

"Don't I know it?" she wondered out loud. "Just get out there!"

"I don't want to."

"You have to."

"Make me." I probably shouldn't have said that. Kayley's eyes turned to slits, and she pushed me in the middle of the square. I glowered at her and then looked at the stall she pushed me to. The shopkeeper was eying me warily. I've never stolen from her before, but I'm guessing she heard the warnings of 'beware a blue Ixi kid.' But I just stared at the ground with my fists clenched, refusing to move. She'd have to call Brynn herself if she wanted me to talk to her.

"Hanso, are you okay?" Speak of the devil. Brynn examined me with concerned eyes. As if she didn't know the answer to that. I took one glance at her, gritted my teeth, and started moving the other direction. "Wait!" she called after me. Her tone had more fear and hurt in it. "Hanso, what's the matter?"

Whoa, she really has some nerve asking that. But…I don't know why; I guess I just pitied her. But I stopped walking. I didn't turn around, though. She circled to my front, trying to catch my eye with her piercing, electric-blue ones. I'm not falling for that again. I kept staring downwards.

"Hanso, what is the _matter _with you today?" she said desperately, though slightly annoyed. What's the matter? WHAT'S THE MATTER? I thought she was mocking me. I wanted to just _smack _her, but she sounded so worried. For a moment, I considered maybe she wasn't kidding. Nah. She was baiting me again—and I was really, really angry about it.

"You arrested Kanrik!" I yelled at her. She looked at me, her eyes widening with surprise. That alone should've stopped me talking, should've made me turn around and never speak another word to her, but everything just came tumbling out. "Do you know how bad that makes me look?" I snarled, thinking of my parents. Seriously, didn't she? This wasn't some sort of politics, or maybe a well-controlled guard fight. It was the _Thieves' Guild_: The guild of the most desperate. "They all think I betrayed Kanrik to the Guard and without Kanrik there…" I trailed off, turning my back at her again. "I'm hanging by an incredibly thin thread, Brynneth."

Her head bows, her shoulders slumped. She bit her lip nervously. Oh, sure, _now _the guild sets in. Didn't she know what the consequences were? I began to walk away again. "It's not what it looks like!" she said urgently when she saw I was leaving. "Masila's coming!" Yeah, _of course _I'm going to believe her again. She didn't seem to be lying, though. I stopped turning away. As soon as she knew I was listening, she continued, "Putting Kanrik back in prison was the only place we could be sure he'd be safe!"

Well, that's true. Master thief cells are as hard to break in as to break out; I should know. And yeah…other than the Thieves' Guild, prison _is _the safest place in Brightvale. Still, I wanted to play it safe. I said skeptically, "Out of interest, why would a load of guards sneak into the Thieves' Guild and rescue their leader?"

"Kanrik has a history with Sam." Oh, that explained it. Thinking that I didn't know Sam, she continued, "He's one of the older kids, look out for me." Slowly, I nodded. Yeah. I could see where they were going with this. She said hurriedly, as if I would change my mind any second, "They have some sort of history. I don't know exactly what, but they have one." She seemed desperate for me to believe her. Huh. Maybe she does care.

I looked at her in the eye. I had to make sure. "So, Kanrik's okay?"

"Yes, he's okay," she confirmed, giving me a small, reassuring smile. I relaxed. It was like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I grinned back at her.

She seemed relieved, though still a little nervous. To ease the tension, I said exaggeratedly, "Now, maybe I should…"

"No stealing!" her purple friend snapped, appearing from out of nowhere. She glared at me, and I backed away with my arms up.

"I was going to say go home!" I said cheekily, totally cheered up. I began leaving again, though a lot happier. "Bye Brynn and…Viol…Violet! I got it!"

"Good for you," Violet said sarcastically.

"Bye!" Brynn said, waving at me.

As soon as I was out of their sight, Kayley appeared. Her arms were crossed. "I guess it went well?" she said, probably looking at my ecstatic face. She frowned in the direction of the guards, maybe regretting her decision. But she did it anyway, and that's what matters.

"You're the best!" I said happily. "Thank you!"

She blinked, as if she was surprised someone was talking to her nicely. Maybe this _was _the only time someone talked to her nicely, besides Juliet. I made a mental note to be a bit kinder to her from now on. "You're welcome."

Week 3 

I didn't tell my parents about Kanrik being okay, or Hannah for that matter. They would ask me where I got the info from, and something tells me they won't be pleased I tried talking to Brynn again. So I went to the only person I could trust with the secret no matter what: Timmy.

"Wait! Iswn't the Gwuild Weader in jwail again?" he said, terribly confused. "So how is he okway?"

"He just is, Timmy. He's safer from Masila."

"Mwasila?"

"She's an green Acara, kinda pretty, I guess, and usually wears a cloak." Before I could explain she was evil, he said,

"You mwean the nwice wady?"

A chill ran up my spine. Did Masila talk to Timmy? Then why wasn't he cut into little tiny pieces already. Slowly, I said, "Timmy, she isn't nice. She's evil, and wants to kill Kanrik."

He frowned. "Okway. Maybwe they're nwot the swame pwerson. The wady talked funny at first, but I dwidn't like her spweaking that way and tworld her so. She wooked weally impwessed, and talked nwormally. She said she wanted to knwow where the Thieves' Guild is." Oh, crap. It _was_ her. "I dwidn't tell her, though, because Mommy said to kweep it a secwet. She swaid she understwood, and gave me cwandy."

I blinked. That didn't sound like Masila. Unless the candy was poisoned? But no, Timmy seemed just fine. I shook my head, deciding not to worry about it. "Anyway," I sighed. "I just wish I could find some way to talk to Kanrik."

Then Timmy said something unexpected. "Why dwon't we use the hole we fwound two wears ago? When he was in jwail the fwirst time?" I couldn't believe he remembered that but I didn't. Wasn't he like two then? He definitely had a good memory.

"Hey, yeah! That' a great idea!" I grinned. "Wait to go, little sucker."

"I am nwot a sucker."

"Sure you aren't," I said playfully. "But we still have a leader to talk to, right? Come on." I grabbed him, and together we quickly went to jail. Soon, we located the small crevice we went to years ago. I studied it. Either it's gotten smaller, or I've gotten bigger. I put my hand in experimentally, feeling the sides. "I don't think I'm going to fit," I admitted. "You're going to have to take a message for me."

"Mwessage?" he said, his eyes wide.

"Don't worry. You've been in there before, remember?"

"With wou," he protested, scooting back.

"Aw, come on," I urged. "You want to rescue Kanrik and make your babysitter proud, don't you?"

He bit his lip, but crouch forward. In my head, I hated myself for pushing him to this. But hey, he was going to have to put up with jail a lot more often if he was going to be a thief. "What shwould I say?"

"Say something like, Are you okay? Do you need help? Stuff like that."

He was in there a long time. I started to get worried and began pacing around. What was taking him? I guess my big brother instinct was acting up again, because I was thinking about some pretty wild schemes of finding a bulldozer or battle axe somewhere and chopping the wall down. "Hanswo?" Timmy said, finally peeking outside.

"There you are." I breathed a sigh of relief. "Was he there?"

"Yeah," Timmy confirmed. "He swaid nwot to worry, Bwynn, Swam, and the others are twaking gwood cware of him. He swaid that he's pwetty swure now that having a gwuard fwiend is a gwood idea, and he's gwoing to let you do it once he gwets out of there. He said nwot to bweak him out, he'll escwape once the dangwer has pwassed and Masila is captwured."

I smiled, absolutely certain now that Brynn was being truthful. "Thanks, tiny Tim."

"Hanswo?" he said.

"Yeah?"

"He alswo swaid he's sowwy for doubting you."

Week 4

The next day, I went to visit Kanrik again, going to ask somehow if he was sure I couldn't get him anything. I mean, he'll probably want decent food. The stuff they serve in jail sometimes look like it's going to eat _me_! So I guess you could see why I was pretty shocked to see him casually walking out of prison. A large shriek pervaded from the door, but he just went outside and began strolling away. "Kanrik!" I called.

"Oh. Hanso," he said, giving me a small smile.

"Aren't you supposed to be hiding from Masila?" I asked. Another shriek echoed from the prison's windows.

"That _is _Masila," he replied. "She's probably thinking along the lines of, If I go down, you're coming with me. Typical." He shrugged, slightly sad. "I guess I should really accept that she's changed. It was foolish of me to try and appeal to her better nature. At any rate, I better get back to the Guild. I'm guessing it was hard for you this past month?"

I bit my lip, thinking of all the snide remarks and stares that I've been getting, plus how I hated Brynn in the first two weeks. "Yeah," I admitted.

"Probably as hard as it was all year?" I nodded again. "Well, you won't have to worry about that anymore. I've never going to doubt you again."

"Wise choice," I commented.

"Indeed."

"And you're getting nicer people, I guess. Master Serpent is an awesome second-in-command."

He nodded. "He was good—the only reason that I didn't pick him before was that he was too old, and that people might argue I'm only picking the ones that support me. Well, they can't argue with that anymore, and Master Serpent assures me he's still as fit as he was ten years ago." He smirked. "When he was about sixty five."

"You know," I said casually, "he said he was just a place holder. Until someone else more competent comes along."

"Did he?" Kanrik said in an amused tone. "I suppose he's right."

We reached the Guild entrance. "Um, Master Kanrik? Could I ask you one more thing?"

He shrugged. "At this point I'd tell you anything, Hanso. What is it?"

"What happened to my parents a long time ago?"

"Except that," he amended.

"Why not?" I asked. "I mean, everyone knows but me! Nort said that my mom did something awful-"

"She did not," Kanrik said indignantly. "It was-" He froze and shook his head. "It's nothing, Hanso. Maybe you'll learn about it some other day. In the meantime…you're definitely going to have to get some kind of award. Rescuing me for the fourth time, withstanding bullying, traveling the high seas by yourself…yep, you need something."

"You don't have to. But if you insist," I continued, grinning. "That's what you and Hannah were fighting about last month, right?"

He nodded. "What did happen to Hannah, anyway?"

"She became the self-appointed leader of the Thieves' Guild."

Kanrik paled. "Wait, what?" I repeated what I said. "Crap," he cursed. He ran in the Guild without another word, probably frantic to stop Hannah from causing anymore damage. I grinned. It was nice to have him back.

**It's a bit shorter than I hoped for, and it's mostly falling action. Then again, the last chapter was the real climax in this storyline for Hanso's Journal, and I couldn't have really snuck Hanso in the getting-Masila-captured part in Brynn's Diary. Again, I'm sorry I haven't updated for a looong time, but one of my New Years' resolutions is to update this more frequently. :) I already have the next storyline settled, anyway… **


	40. April at Age 10

**Another update, yay! I'm probably not going to have super-long chapters like Ch. 38 anymore (unless it's the climax or I want something emphasized and well done) because they usually take so long to make. I'm not sure when HJ will be updated, but I'm aiming for once a week (big task, if you consider my other writing projects). **

**This chapter is dedicated to Mama, AKA my grandmother. She's going to California and won't be back until April! You'll get why I dedicated THIS particular chapter to her when you read it. :'( **

**BTW, Ch. 39 in Hanso's Journal = Ch. 39 in Brynn's Diary. So if you want to look at both sides of the story, you can just look at what number the chapter it is and it's the same—and you don't have to read the whole 60 chapters! ;) **

The Month of Eating (April) Age 10 

Week 1

Mom shook me to wake me up this morning. I sat up blearily. "Mom?" I said. "What are you doing? It's Saturday!" No matter what people say about how horrible I am at remembering the date, I do keep track of weekends! I rubbed my eyes and curled up in my blankets again. But Mom grabbed it off me.

"Hanso! We have to go somewhere?" Mom said. She sounded excited.

I opened one eye. "Is it going to be some incredible awesome mission or whatever?"

"Probably not."

"Good night, Mom," I said sleepily.

"I'm serving you asparagus for every meal for the reset of the week if you don't get out of bed this instant, young man," she said, suddenly stern. I blinked and sat up, but I saw she was still smiling. I didn't want to test her, though. Slightly annoyed, I hopped out of bed, fixed up the blankets and pillows as nicely as I could, and grabbed my coat.

Dad was waiting for us at the front door. He had an excited grin on his face. "What took you?" he asked Mom.

"Someone inherited the sleepy-head gene," Mom announced. He laughed. "I can't really blame you, though," she said, turning to me. "You've had quite an exciting few weeks—some of the activities you did I am certain you will never participate in again. Namely, getting poisoned by Masila. Agreed?"

"Agreed," I replied.

"Come on, then," said Dad, and together we made our way outside. The air was sweet and fresh, the way it only is this early in the morning. The grass was still even wet from the dew. It was a pretty good scene, but in my opinion, my own dreams were better. "Oh, no you don't," Dad said when he saw me nearly stumbling. "You're gonna want to see this."

"Hey," Razor said, meeting up with us near the market. To my surprise, we completely passed the Thieves' Guild's entrance. He yawned. "My mom woke me up like three hours ago. Do you know what we're waiting for?"

"Nope," I said matter-of-factly.

"Darn," Julius grumbled, showing up. He was half-dragging Juliet. One of her arms was around his shoulders, so it was like he was supporting someone crippled. "Come on, sis! Don't drool on me!"

"I'm not drooling on you," she mumbled. "But a girl needs her beauty sleep."

"_You_ don't need it," I offered. "You're plenty pretty already."

She blinked and got off Julius. "What?"

"Uh, nothing," I said, turning slightly red. I saw Julius give me a suspicious look. "So, uh, where's Kayley? I'd have thought they'd have woken her up, too."

"I think they're searching for her," said Razor. "They're obviously getting the class together. Why they want to do it on a Saturday, I have no idea…"

"What?" Juliet squealed. "They're searching for Kayley?" She stood rigidly, almost knocking Julius over. "Sorry," she apologized. "Look, I'll go and get her, okay? Just wait one minute!" She grabbed a bit of candy from her pocked, popped it in her mouth, and ran off to fetch our grumpy friend.

"Huh," Julius said thoughtfully. "Do either of you know where Kayley actually lives?"

I thought back to the time when everyone was sick, and I couldn't find her house. I had put it in a store where I knew she would most likely hang about, with a note clearly showing it was for her. I shook my head, a little bit surprised and a little bit miffed. "I do know she use to live in Terror Mountain, though," I said weakly, kinda like an attempt and showing I did sorta know her.

"Really?" Razor said, raising his eyebrows. "That's funny. I left when I was just a baby—so she's been living there longer than I have." He frowned. "Maybe we should ask her where she lives? In case there's an emergency-"

"Then Juliet will fetch me," Kayley snapped, rubbing her eyes. Juliet trailed behind her. Whoa, when the Wocky twin said only one minute, she _meant _only one minute. "What's going on?"

"No idea," I said.

Then Dad showed up. "Follow me," he said simply, and he began leading us towards the woods. I hesitated. Even with Dad around and it was morning, I still felt a little uneasy going somewhere that was supposedly haunted. Dad, though, seemed relaxed.

"Are we going to the abandoned guild hideout?" I asked.

He winced. "That was a confidential location, Hanso."

"Oh, they'll keep it a secret, right guys? I'd trust any of them any day," I said honestly.

"Really?" said Kayley skeptically. "Doesn't explain why you accused me of being a spy twice."

"Are you always going to hold that over me? I screwed up with that, I get it. But that's not going to happen again. I made a resolution. From now on, I'm going to trust all of you completely," I said.

She frowned. "That might be going too far. Any one of us could betray you-"

"No way," I began.

"Under torture," she finished.

"She has a point," Dad said. "And even then, anyone could betray you…" His voice had a hidden meaning in it, I could tell. Did someone once betray him before?

Well, that was an optimistic thought. Now that I considered it, Kayley's right. No matter if they're actually not spies or traitors, friends could still betray you if they're forced. It wasn't a happy idea. "Personally, I just keep everything on a need-to-know basis."

"Now that's going too far," I said. "Your friends need to know a little bit about you!"

"Really?" said Kayley, looking surprised. "Whatever, I wouldn't know. I don't have any."

"Hey!" cried the rest of the class behind us. Juliet especially looked hurt.

"No offense to you guys," she conceded. "I just don't really want to depend on anybody. I'd help you all out, though, if that's what you're worried about."

"We'd help you too!" Juliet said.

She shrugged. "Well, thanks. But that doesn't mean we're friends." There was silence then.

"Uh, Dad, be honest. Are we lost?" I asked after awhile.

He laughed. "No. Don't worry, son, I know this place like the back of my hand. What, you forgot Grandma Leslie already?"

"No, I remember her a bit," I said. She was a gypsy, and traveled from place to place. She still does, as a matter of fact, so I don't get to see much of her. But when I do, she always gets me great presents. Dad decided to stay here at one point, since he didn't like going around too much. But he's right; he did know the woods like the back of his hands. He probably even lived there once upon a time. "But how long till we get there?"

"A little bit more. Trust me; you're going to love it. Hannah talked Kanrik into doing it, too."

"Dad," I said, exasperated. "What could I possibly want to see at this time of day besides the back of my eye-lids?"

"That," he said, pointing.

Our jaws dropped. It was a huge glade of lush green hills, with an amazing water fall. I grinned, suddenly realizing why Hannah picked it. Not so long ago, we went through an under water one to escape from a cave. I smiled when I saw there was even some moss on the rocks.

But even more shocking was that the entire Guild was there; not as an angry mob waiting to bust a Guild leader out, but it seemed that they were….partying? A huge picnic had been spread, and the few people who knew how to play instruments were cranking up the volume. I saw a few of the little kids along with Timmy were happily singing along. "Okay, what the heck is going on?" I asked.

"Hannah said it had to be something big," Kanrik said, coming towards us. "To apologize for all those miserable months. Plus, we never did get to celebrate your birthday." He turned to the crowd. "Attention!"

Immediately, everyone turned to the Guild leader. Except Hannah, who was stuffing her face with cake. But she raised her hand, acknowledging us with a smile filled with frosting. "We're here to thank Hanso for his bravery in fighting Masila, one of the most dangerous enemies this Guild has ever faced. Without him, we'd have never managed to defeat her." There was a loud cheering. Kinda surprising, since just last month they were all set to kick me out and kill me. Kanrik gestured me forward.

"Thanks," I said sheepishly, "But I couldn't have done it, _any _of it, without my friends." I emphasized the word to Kayley and she rolled her eyes. "Without Juliet, would never have managed to get through all those awful months with everyone, _everyone, _doubting me. Without Julius, we couldn't have managed to have…er…" Master Jacques was there, so I couldn't really say that Julius helped me steal Garin's address. "To find necessary information. Without Razor, we couldn't have decoded some, um, codes we needed to find; not to mention he's now a pretty local medic. And…"

I grinned at Kayley. She looked at me, her arms crossed, her eyebrows raised. "Without Kayley, I would've never done it. Honestly, she's the reason why we're all still alive. The credit goes to her as much as to me. Without her, I wouldn't have even gotten on the boat. She was the one who tracked down the spy and saved Kanrik. She was the one I contacted and who rallied up the Guild to save us." She nodded her head, giving me a half-smile. I turned to Kanrik and gestured to my class. "So in all honesty, it was a team effort."

"I had a feeling you would say that," Kanrik said. "All of you, step forward." With that, he gave us not one, but _two _badges. We were now scoundrels, level five.

"Hey, wait! Wasn't the rules were that we could only get promoted every three months?" I burst out.

Hannah laughed, finally not eating cake. "Kid, seriously? You're worrying about the rules now? You deserve it!" There were murmured agreements.

Somebody said, "Can we get back to the party now?" Kanrik nodded. My class dispersed, too, with the twin heading straight for the cake and candy section, probably ready to fight for it with Hannah.

"Around this time, Masila's being transported to Faerieland prison," Kanrik told me when we were out of ear shot. He was wearing one of those rare smiles, and was more relaxed than I've ever seen him. Still, there was a kind of sadness in it, and I had a feeling it would never really go away. He just sent his former best friend to a lifetime of imprisonment. That can make anyone feel awful. But for now, I could tell that he was focusing on the happy parts. Like not having to be worried to get killed.

"You really do deserve it, you know," he said, nodding at the badge. "You really are loyal." He smiled at me regretfully. "And I'm sorry that I ever thought otherwise."

Week 2

Last week was just perfect. This week is just a nightmare.

It's so weird, how everything could just be all fine and dandy in one moment and then suddenly perilous in the next. Kinda annoying, really. Is this how being a thief would always be like? Even though I should be used to it by now, it's just waaay too unpredictable. Well, they did say in the job description that it would always be 'exciting.' They got that part right, I guess.

Is it just a coincidence that everything's happening now, when I'm in the Guild? Mom and Dad, though they're thieves themselves, would probably never have let me join if they knew how much trouble I'd gotten into the past few years. In their time, everything was mostly peaceful. They stole, ran away from the guards, end of story. Right? At least, I think it was mostly peaceful. It's already proven that I don't know a thing about their lives before me.

That's why I began asking questions to them at lunch. We were having asparagus (yuck!) anyway, so I didn't eat much. "Hey, do you remember last month when Master Serpent kidnapped me and stuff?"

"How could we forget?" Dad asked dryly. "We set it up with him."

"Yeah, well, remember you couldn't tell me anything because knowing would get me killed? Well, I'm not in danger anymore. You could tell me now!" I said this hopefully, eager for information. My parents looked at each other, uncomfortable.

"Son," Dad began. "I think we can both agree that you'll never be 'not' in danger anymore. From the moment you became a thief, well, besides being a primary target of the guards, people in the Thieves' Guild have been after you, too. Even the adults."

"What?" I said, blinking. Okay, I knew about Nort, but adults wanted to kill a ten year old? Now that's just plain mean. "Why would a bunch of grown-ups want to get at me?"

"Believe it or not, dear, some people actually were on Vlade and Zida's side," said Mom. "Plus, there's that other reason…" She and Dad shared the 'look' again. It's becoming really frequent—and very, very irritating.

"What other reason?" I persisted.

"It's best you don't know," Mom said calmly.

"But-"

There was a loud rapping on the door. "Oh!" exclaimed Mom, probably relieved with the distraction. "Would you please go get it, Hanso?"

I scowled at her. "Don't use that pouty face on your mother," Dad scolded. "Go on and do as you're told." I sighed, knowing I was beaten. I might have been able to weasel through one of them, though. Quickly, I went to the door to see who was doing all that banging. We didn't get much visitors (no surprise) and if it was someone who was going to kidnap me again, I'd—well, I didn't know what I'd do, but I was sure it'd be bad.

To my surprise, it was Kanrik. My jaw dropped. Unless it was for Guild business, lessons, parties, or being trapped/safe in prison, I've never seen Kanrik ever get out of the hideout. Especially not to see _us_! I just stood there, gaping, when he asked irritably, "Are you going to let me in?"

"Uh, sure," I said, backing away so he could enter. I was still staring at him. "What exactly are you doing here?"

"Bad news," he said simply.

I groaned. "Aw, come on! We just beat Masila two weeks ago!"

"And she escaped again," he informed me.

That hit me like a slap. Are we ever going to get rid of her? "But…how?" I managed. I was still reeling from what he said. Suddenly, I realized something, and I seized it like a desperate hope. "Wait a minute. The guards sent Masila to Faerieland, right? Shouldn't they know by now if she had escaped? Especially since they found out Sam's her nephew…and that she was caught by a bunch of kids who she might take revenge from."

He sighed. "Her assassins were watching for the guards that accompanied her when she was going to jail. There were plenty of them, but all they had to do was to get Masila's gag off her mouth. Then all of the Brightvalean guards agreed that yes, yes, they should definitely let her go. It's not as if she actually did anything wrong—she was an assassin, not a thief (like there's really much of a difference), and the guy she was supposed to kill was the leader of the Thieves' Guild anyway. They went back and reported that she went safely to her prison." He shook his head. "Even when they snap out of it, they're probably going to be too embarrassed to tell the Captain of the Guards for months at least. They'll probably only do it once they get desperate."

"How do you know this stuff, anyway?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I had a few thieves spy on the guards to ensure that she got to her prison. They were the only reason no one got killed—and they tried to get away quietly. Smart move, I think; she would've just made them betray me if she knew they were there."

Great. Just great. "How'd Hannah take it?" I asked.

"She didn't; I haven't told her yet. But if I did, I bet it'd be the usual. That scheming little b…better not say it with your parents within earshot." Despite the news, we both grinned.

"Well, at least we have her, right?" I said hopefully. "We have a more powerful truth-speaker. That has to count for something."

"Not by much," he said sadly. "The only reason she had such a good effect before was that she timed it perfectly. Still, I'll say this about Hannah, she definitely helped us. Masila's Assassins have greatly decreased, and I doubt she'd ever gather such a force like last time again. Numbers will not win this war for her."

"She'd plan something, though," I said. "But where she is she now?"

"That's why I want to talk to your parents," he told me grimly. He gently knocked on the door and opened it. My parents seemed deep in conversation, but as soon as they saw the Guild Leader…well, their reaction wasn't that much better than mine. They both stood up quickly, with Dad knocking over the table (with our food in it) and Mom desperately trying to clean it up.

"Sorry," Dad said weakly while Mom shot him a glare.

"It's fine," Kanrik said, waving them to leave it. "I have something to talk about more serious than spilled milk."

"Certainly," said Mom. "Hanso, maybe you should go to your-"

"No, I think he should stay," said Kanrik. My parents stared at him. "He'd already proven himself trustworthy, and believe me, this conversation would about your _entire _family." Whoa. He really was making good on that promise to trust me more. I smiled and sat on the chair, trying to look as innocent as possible. Needless to say, I failed miserably. Mom kept frowning at me. But I still got to listen. "Now, you might be already aware of this…but both of you are the best members of the Thieves' Guild. And I mean the best."

Dad grinned. "Sure we know. What's unusual is that you're telling us this. That's kinda showing favoritism, isn't it?"

Kanrik shook his head emphatically. "This is definitely about favoritism. Quite the opposite. I just need to emphasize why I'm asking you what I'm asking you; you might find it unreasonable, given that you have family to take care of." He nodded at me.

"Well, yeah," Dad said. "But we're thieves too. We'll do whatever you want, Kanrik."

"Within reason," Mom added.

"Sure," Dad confirmed. "Within reason."

"Masila's back," he said simply. Their eyes widened. He began filling them in, and since he already told me about this in the hall I began to get bored. I only started paying attention again when I heard him say, "…Which leads me to believe that she might be hiding in Terror Mountain."

"What?" I burst out. "That freezing cold place?"

"Yes, 'that freezing cold place.' She knows it better than I do; and I can certainly vouch that she has a talent to find the most secret places. In fact, she might not even need to; the old Thieves' Guild base is right there for the taking. There are plenty of desperate people there, so she'd be able to get more recruits."

"Wait a minute…what if she has a spy again? Remember, Sasha escaped and she can turn into anything," I asserted.

"Good question; but we can't worry about that now. You'll have to ask your friend Hazel. Personally, I'd like to send someone, perhaps Master Serpent, to keep an eye on her….what with her mysterious new talent popping up," he said.

I felt the need to protect Hazel. "Hey, she's a good kid! She wouldn't hurt a fly. I'll keep an eye on her. And no," I said with absolute conviction, "She will not turn evil."

He shook his head. "There was a point I believed that about someone too, once upon a time." There was a short silence. "Well, then, back to Terror Mountain. I need someone to check up on what's happening there; someone who's good at camouflage and blending in, who's used to traveling fast and discreetly." He looked at Dad. "That's you, Peter."

"Wait a second," he said. "You're asking me to abandon my wife and kid for who knows how long to check if a murderess is plotting to kill you?" I felt a pang. I was going to lose my dad? No. I refused to let that happen.

"I told you it might sound unreasonable," Kanrik snapped.

"It _is _unreasonable!" Dad snarled back with his arms crossed. "One night in the Haunted Woods, maybe. Hey, I could even get to Altador and back within a week. But Terror Mountain? It not only takes weeks to get there, it has other dangers besides Masila—as well as sliding off the Mountain itself."

"But you could do it," Kanrik said. "If you try."

Kanrik and Dad stared at each other until Dad's shoulders sagged in defeat. "Yeah, I'd find a way to do it somehow. If I try," he added. "That doesn't mean I would."

"There is another option," Kanrik said. "Though this one involves Liz, it requires neither of you having to leave home for a very long time."

"And how exactly is this including me?" Mom said suspiciously.

"Undercover work," Kanrik said, with a meaningful tone. I don't know what he meant, but my parents both stiffened. There was absolute silence in the house; which was kinda creepy, considering it's always noisy in some way or another (Dad's snores, for example).

Then Dad sighed. "I guess that settles it, then. I'll leave for Terror Mountain."

"What? But it's just undercover work!" I burst out. "Neither of you have to go anywhere far if Mom does it."

Dad shook his head. "It's a lot more complicated than you think, Hanso." He eyed Kanrik. "If I'm right, she's being asked to spy in a place where she hasn't been in a long, long time, and they might not trust her anymore. Hate her, even. Besides, it would be emotionally traumatizing, given to what she'd been through there." He turned to Kanrik. "You know that. It isn't much of the choice."

"It's the only one I could give you!" Kanrik said. "I hate to do this to you—especially to Hanso. Fyora knows I already owe him so much. The whole Guild does. The last thing I want is for you to sacrifice again- or worse, lose each other-"

"Not exactly making us feel better," Dad muttered.

"-But like I said before, you're our best thieves. Others have tried to convince me to get you to do both assignments at the same time; still, I know you have other priorities." He looked at me. "It was tough, but I insisted only one of you should do an assignment. Which one is entirely up to you."

Mom and Dad had one of those silent conversations. Mom looked at Dad mournfully, as if saying, _Maybe I should…_

Dad shook his head, putting a hand on her shoulder. He'd probably be saying, _You can't risk it, Liz. _He straightened up. "I'll go."

"But-" Mom squeaked.

"Liz," Dad said in a firm tone. It reminded me that even though he was usually a 'petri-pecked' husband and did almost everything she said, if it was a family decision, he ultimately got the last say with the matter. Mom's shoulders slumped, knowing she was beaten. "I'm going."

It's settled. Dad's leaving for Terror Mountain by the end of the month, and even while I'm writing he's packing with Mom. They're hiding something from me, I know it. I hate being kept in the dark—is this what everybody felt like when I said I couldn't tell them what I was doing for those two months? No wonder they got mad at me.

My dad's leaving for Terror Mountain. My parents have a secret.

This is just perfect.

Week 3

"Cheer up, kid. It won't be that bad," Hannah said to me at one point. I stared at her. It was the first time I ever heard her attempt to really lie, though I guess she was doing it for a good reason. I kept thinking about Dad and what we're going to do without him in class; and suddenly I had this big stomach ache. It was like there was a hole inside me, and I couldn't fill it.

Jacques even noticed, and ordered me out of class for the rest of the day. It didn't help that Kayley said before I went: "That's odd. Usually bereavement comes _after _someone already died."

"He's not going to die," I snapped behind me, but I didn't sound very convincing, even to myself. Having nothing else to do, I went to the Guild's main hall. It was usually packed with thieves and their kids, but on a weekday it was as quiet as the night. I looked around with just a tiny bit of nostalgia. Mom and Dad used to take me there a lot, even when I wasn't a thief yet. The tailored rugs, the colorful tapestries, the roaring fireplace, the tiny canteen—that was where I grew up.

Then I saw Hannah again, lounging about in a chair with an adventure book. She looked really bored, but brightened up when she saw me. She complained about last month, when Kanrik literally had to kick her out of the throne. Apparently, she liked playing queen because 'she could control everyone like dolls.' None of the thieves were amused by the comparison.

"I just hate it that I'm going to have to go next week," she said wistfully. "I'm even going to forget where this place is! I've stuck around since last November, and Brightvale's really grown on me. Still, I guess I can't stay here forever. I mean, look! I've been reduced to _reading _about adventures instead of being in them." She made a face.

"Wait, you're still going?" I said, shocked. "I thought you were going to help us now that Masila escaped again!"

She choked. "Masila escaped again?" Oops. I guess Kanrik didn't tell her yet. I forgot was confidential.

"Uh…Masila escaped again? Who said Masila escaped again?" I said weakly. "Masila didn't escape again!'

She rolled her eyes. "We're really bad liars, aren't we?" she said, shaking her head. But she smiled. "It was amusing to see that. I just took people's word for it; I always thought I was very convincing when I exaggerate a tiny bit in stories." I nearly snorted. "But what's this about Masila?"

"I don't think Kanrik would want me to tell you," I said.

She huffed. "Hmph. Well, that's gratefulness from the Guild leader."

"Don't tell him I told you," I pleaded.

"Sure thing, kid. Your secret's safe with me. I guess he doesn't want me interfering again—and besides, there's not much I can do against her anymore. I've done maximum damage already by taking out most of her numbers." She looked at me earnestly. "But if you need help, anytime, you know where to find me. I'm planning to actually read my fan-mail now."

"Okay," I said.

"And you know what? I'm even planning to keep better in touch with that Kanrik whether he likes it or not. How's once a month sound?"

I grinned. My mom would go crazy facing her alone, but she was fun to have around. "Who are you staying with? Please say it's not the inn."

"There are actually some very nice people from the inn," she said indignantly, "But no, I'm staying with Masila's much nicer younger sister, Marie-" Her eyes widened. "Sweet Fyora!"

"What?" I said, jumping up.

"We forgot all about her when your name cleared! She was even in the Thieves' dungeon in the celebrations at the beginning of the month!"

"Bet she isn't too happy about that," I commented.

"We should get her now," she urged, standing up. "Where's the Thieves' dungeon?"

"Uh…"

"Oh come on, kid," she said, exasperated. "You don't even know how to navigate through your own hideout?"

"First off, it's not _my _hideout. And second, yeah, I know where it is, but Mom doesn't like me going in there much…" And for a good reason. She doesn't mind me getting thrown into regular jail (at least, not really) but our dungeon is so off-limits. Could you blame her? The people locked in there are so bad that _thieves_ wanted them off the streets.

"Well, this time is different," she said cheerfully. "You have me! There is nothing to worry about." Somehow, I thought that Mom would freak out even more she knew I was going with Hannah. But Hannah is an adult, so I shrugged and began leading her through a maze of hallways.

It's a miracle I didn't get lost, though we all memorized the map at one point. Hannah began complaining, but I managed to get us there soon. We stopped in front of a large tapestry of an old guy; the first king of thieves.

He was a huge Lupe with a scar running across his face, and his grey eyes plainly showed that he was merciless in battle. Not to mention, you know, the two boulders he was holding. They were the size of his fists (and that's pretty big), with one glowing silver and the other gold. And he appeared to be _cracking _them. With his bare hands! Now that's one Guild leader I don't want to mess with. Still, there was a kind of wisdom in his eyes that made it almost seem that he'd be actually kinda nice…if you weren't his enemy.

"Who's this guy?" Hannah said. Even she looked a little intimidated.

"The first every leader of the Thieves' Guild," I explained. "I can't remember his name—it's way to long and confusing. Um, Coalloadhe or something."

"Yeah…not that I don't like it or anything, but we're not here to look at pretty pictures. Er, if you could call that pretty. Where's the dungeon?" she asked. As an answer, I stepped forward and pulled the tapestry aside a bit, showing a heavily bolted door. "Whoa!"

It took both me and her to pry the lock. Thieves capturing thieves already know the tricks, so it'd be pretty difficult to get out of there. When the door finally stood open, it was pitch black. Hannah and I crept inside cautiously. Then without warning, someone grabbled my foot through the bars. "You have to help me," the person rasped. I tried to back away, but he had a tough grip. "Help me," he pleaded. "I'm old, innocent…I didn't kill my wife and daughter…it was someone else….I was framed…"

Now I was seriously getting scared of him—he was lying. Before I could cry out, Hannah wrenched me away. "Creep! Go hide in a corner or something." The old guy hissed, and it was silent again. "Marie?" she called tentatively.

"I'm here, Hannah," the Acara called. With her face looking tired and dark, she seemed more like Masila than ever. "Tell me my name's been cleared. Please. I can't take much more of this."

"Um, yeah, about that," said Hannah. "Well, ya see, your name's been actually cleared about three weeks ago. We just…kinda…forgot you."

Marie groaned. "Well, let me out then! Use Hanso's pendant." We did—it acted like a kind of key, and soon we were all out. "Thank Fyora! I thought I'd never get out of there. You don't know what it's like. Much worse than the normal dungeon, just so you know."

"Maybe you need some fresh air," Hannah suggested. "We all do. In my opinion, you guys spend way too much time staying underground hiding from guards."

"Says the lady who goes into caves by choice," I countered. She smiled. "Where should we go?" Then I had an idea. "Um, Marie? Would you mind checking on one of my friends for a bit?"

She frowned. "Why? I'm not a healer, Hanso."

"No," I admitted. "But you do have experience with persuaders."

Her eyes widened with understanding. "Oh, you want me to check on that little girl Hazel—see if she's got the talent?"

I shook my head. "I think she already proved she had the talent. Just…say something reassuring to her. Or whatever. Last time I saw her, she seemed to think it was some sort of curse, and for a seven year old she already has a lot on her plate."

She bit her lip. "Honestly, Hanso, there's not that much things reassuring to say. I've known five persuaders in my life. Two of them were evil, or as close to evil as you can get; thinking bordering cruel. One was just lovely, though I guess you can say she was a little pressured to be perfect. There's Kanrik, though you know he's a little paranoid."

"The fifth one was Sam," I guessed. "And he turned out pretty well."

Marie smiled. "Oh, yes. I've told him to never use his voice unless absolutely necessary. He's been raised with the belief that the power is practically evil."

"_Is_ it evil?" I asked her.

She frowned. "I'm not sure. I know by first-hand experience that it could do a world of good, but it seems that people who truly tried to use it always turned bad. In my opinion, if you have the talent, don't use it. It's probably a bad idea anyway."

"Yeah," I agreed.

"Besides that, I don't think the little girl has anything to worry about," she told me. "The second evil person wasn't actually quite as evil…more like scheming, power-hungry. I think that Masila's just a special case." Her face darkened slightly. "Not that it gives me much comfort." We began entering the finer parts of Brightvale, with its manicured lawns and beautiful mansions. Hannah and I were pretty much used to it already, but Marie studied everything with a roving eye. "Hanso, what are we doing here?"

I frowned. "Hazel's a rich kid. We have to go to her house, remember?"

"Hazel is a _rich kid_?" Marie said, astonished. I sensed a slight disapproval in her voice, and maybe a hint of fear. I realized quickly that Charlie and Hazel's clothes were messed up as they spied on us from the tree—that's why no one recognized them as rich kids. That actually might be the only reason they got out of there alive.

"Aw, come on, they're not all bad," I said, trying to defend her.

"I know, Hanso. But it's just…" she looked around with a worried expression. "Never mind. I'm a little concerned, is all. You've already made friends with guards, and now _this_? Does Kanrik know?"

"Yeah," I replied earnestly.

"And besides," Hannah butt in, "Hanso can make friends with whoever he likes."

Marie said nothing, but she frowned for the rest of the way. I went to Hazel's house, trying to make sure neither of her bratty siblings was there. To my relief, it was only a new maid, and she was sound asleep. Well, maybe not sound asleep. She was snoring pretty loudly.

Hazel was playing alone in the garden, wearing a forlorn face. I remembered that she wasn't allowed to see Charlie anymore, and guessed that was the reason why she seemed so sad. But that didn't explain the dark circles underneath her eyes, and her messy, curly hair. Violet would die if she saw her sister now.

"Hazel?"

The little girl jumped up and was about to scurry into a tree when she saw me. "Hanso?" she whispered. She looked frightened. "You shouldn't be here. Daddy's home."

"Darn," I grumbled. I looked at her. "I just wanted to talk to you. Are you okay after, you know, what happened two months ago? Sorry I didn't visit you sooner—I got huddled up again."

"I'm okay," she told me sweetly. "Just…getting nightmares." She bit her lip, and said rapidly, "Also, the voice thing. Why did my voice change? I don't like it. And I'm-I'm scared." She looked like she was about to cry.

"Don't worry, Hazel," I said. "I have someone here that can help."

Hannah popped in. "How's my biggest fan?"

"Hannah!" Hazel squealed. "I didn't get your autograph yet!"

"Well, we can't have that!" Hannah said, grinning. She took out a pad of paper and wrote her name on it, plus a small message: _To my biggest fan, Hazel. _I rolled my eyes as she gave it to the little princess.

"Are you going to help me with the voice thing?" she asked.

Hannah shook her head. "Don't have that much experience with that. Marie, though, might be able to help." Marie timidly went inside the garden. Hazel and her studied each other carefully, like two frightened children. "She's Masila's sister."

"What!" Hazel said, backing away. The poor girl seemed to be searching for a tree, any tree.

"Don't worry," I promised. "She's a lot nicer. She's not at all like Masila."

"Yes, dear," said Marie in a kind voice. "I just want to help. Tell me what the matter is."

Hazel stared at her, and then glanced at me. I gave her an encouraging smile. "Well," she began softly. "My voice…changes sometimes. I can make people do things. And it makes me feel awful."

"Why's that?" Marie asked. "Don't you think making people do things is good?" I could see where she was going with this. It was a test to show how good Hazel is.

But even Marie was surprised by Hazel's answer. "Because all my life, I was the one doing things for other people." The little girl looked down. "Following whatever Violet did, obeying Ebony, curtsying to Daddy, making Mommy happy…." She shook her head. "I can't understand how it can be any other way."

"Look, Hazel," Marie said urgently, "Even if you didn't have this power, you shouldn't let other people control you. Try standing up for yourself."

"I can't," she said in a small voice.

"Sure you can!" I exclaimed. "You did pretty well last month standing up to Sasha, and then before that when you revealed her to be a thief."

"That was standing up for my friends. That, I can do. But I can't stand up for myself." She shook her head. "Will it go away? The power, I mean? If I don't use it?"

Marie shrugged. "I'm not sure. Before I insisted on her using it" – here, a look of regret showed on her face – "She seemed perfectly content on never utilizing it again. It was later that she began losing control." She nodded. "All right, perhaps you should try that, Hazel. Don't use your power for a bit. Then one day, test it on someone, perhaps a friend, to see if it doesn't work anymore."

"Okay," Hazel said.

"Is there anything else that's bothering you, dear?"

Hazel twisted her hands, and I knew there was something she wasn't telling us. "Spit it out, princess," I told her.

She looked at us with wide eyes. "Is it normal for a person with the voice thing to hear voices in her head?"

My jaw dropped—so did Hannah's. "What?"

"I hear…things," she said, slightly fearful. "One voice, actually. It's telling me something, but I can't make it out quite yet. It's a nice voice, and I want to hear it, but I'm not sure I'd like what it might say. Do you think I should-"

"Don't listen to it!" Marie burst out unexpectedly. I looked at her. She was very, very pale. She took Hazel by her shoulders. "Whatever you do, do NOT listen to that voice."

"Okay, okay," Hazel whimpered, backing up. The noise awoke the maid.

"Beggars!" she screeched, pointing at us.

"Time to go," I said.

Hazel looked at me. "I'll try to do what she said. Visit Charlie soon, okay? I think he's as sad as I am." I told her I would, and she ran back to her house.

"Marie, what's wrong?" Hannah asked when we were out of earshot. "Did something like this happen to Sam?"

"No," Marie muttered. "This never happened to Sam, Kanrik, or the other people I told you about. This only happened to Masila, and she mentioned it just once. At the time, I thought she was lying to call more attention to herself. But if what Hazel said is true…" Marie bit her lip, leaving us to think of the other scary possibilities.

Week 4

I woke up early in the morning again, but this time by myself. I figured no one would be in the living room, so I'd have time to go around and mope—but I was wrong. Dad was already up. His hair was crazy, like it usually is; but he was also wearing a serious expression, which was definitely unusual. He seemed to be thinking about something.

"Hi, Dad," I said. He jumped.

"Hanso! You scared me."

"I did? I scared a Master thief? Whoa!"

"Hey, don't use that cheeky tone of voice, young man," he said playfully. "Even Master thieves let their guard down in the morning."

I grinned. "Maybe I should do that more often-" Then I remembered I wouldn't be able to. He was leaving today, off on some scary mission in the Ice Caves. Kanrik promised that some Bori allies would help him as much as they can – Hannah even chipped in here, saying to look for someone called Armin – but we all knew that for the most part, he was on his own.

"Don't worry," he said, as if reading my mind. "I'll be back soon. Judging by what we know of Masila, she'll plan her big entrance soon; and then I can go home."

"Bring me a souvenir," Mom said, coming out of her bedroom. She had a false cheery smile on her face, though none of us were buying it.

"I will, Liz," he said, grinning. "What do you want? An icicle?"

"Or maybe a snowball," I suggested.

"Or some rock crystals," she chuckled.

We had to get serious again a few minutes later. Dad and Mom were frantically packing anything he might need, while I watched them. If only we could go with him. I wouldn't mind too much, but that would mean missing who-knows-how-many lessons, and Mom would fail in her duties as a Master thief. Soon, he was ready and we went to the harbor.

I looked around kind of fondly. Last time I went there, I had just gotten back from my own adventure of the high seas. It wasn't that bad, though I kept getting sick. Still, I went to warmer places. He's going somewhere cold. Very, very cold. I glanced at Dad, and I saw something weird. He had this half-sad, half-scared expression on his face. Mom didn't notice – she was too busy fussing over his things – so I asked him, "Are you okay, Dad?"

"What? Oh, yeah. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"A friend," he said. I waited for him to elaborate. He sighed. "She went on a mission overseas, too. She never came back." He must've seen my face, because he said quickly, "Not that that's going to happen to me. I have a promise to keep. Remember what your mother said on Christmas?" I did. We had to go our separate ways for the day, but she said: _I promise it'll be different next year. _

"I hope you're right," I said.

He turned to me, and there was this sort of grimness in his eyes. He leaned over so only I could hear, and said, "Look, Hanso, your mother and I have some secrets that we keep for your own good. But I think that you're grown up enough to find some out. I can't tell them to you—but if you can, try to search for it. The answers might be closer than you think. And go with your instincts, no matter how crazy they are." He winked at me.

Before I could ask him anything else, someone called, "All aboard!"

He sighed. "It's time." He hugged me, and I squeezed him back.

I knew it was pointless, but I begged in a tiny voice, "Don't go."

He smiled sadly. "I have to. Take care of your mother, all right?"

"I promise," I said.

He turned to Mom then, but I looked away. I knew there would be tears, and if I see Mom crying I'd start crying, and then Dad would probably start crying too, and…it just wouldn't be good to do in a harbor full of other Master thieves that were going. I wished Hannah was here—she might've had some way to distract me, but she had left even earlier. Instead, I looked around the pier and saw another surprising sight.

A Gelert (not Kanrik) was hugging a Lutari about my age, probably his son. I was thinking where I saw the Gelert before, when it hit me—he was one of Masila's Assassins, the one that betrayed the Guild for a better life for his family. But I knew he was also one of the people who came back to our side first. It made sense to include him on the mission—he'd know how Masila worked. Faintly, I heard him saying, "It's time to pay back what I owe. Take care of yourself, Tyler, and your mother too. And your siblings."

"But they're all older than me!" Tyler protested playfully. His jet-black hair was messy, and went flopping around his face, but in a nice way. He had dark eyes, and a nice smile that seemed almost too big for his face.

"True," the Gelert said, grinning, "But you're a lot more sensible. Don't tell them I said that!" They hugged one last time. Then I watched both the Gelert and my dad go aboard the ship.

I felt myself go numb all over. I wanted to cry out, but I knew nothing I would say could make him come back. Kayley was right. It's almost like he's dying. But he'd come back. He promised.

"You too, huh?" said a voice. Tyler came up to me.

"Yeah," I said unhappily. "You're Tyler, right? Sorry, I was kinda eavesdropping."

"No worries," he said. "You're Hanso." He laughed at my astonished face. "You're pretty famous, you know."

"What class are you in?" I said conversationally. "I'm in Master Jacques's."

He shrugged. "My studies kinda stopped when my parents decided to join the Assassins. Uh, no hard feelings about that, right?"

"No hard feelings," I confirmed.

"I used to be with this awful Lenny guy," he informed me. I think I knew the one he was talking about. "My studies kinda stopped again, 'cause I have to help repair the damage we've done."

"But that wasn't your fault! I'll go talk to Kanrik about it-"

"Don't worry," he said. "All the other Assassin kids like it this way—they get to miss almost a whole year of school, at least until next January. And besides, I don't think I'll have any trouble catching up." He had a mischievous smile on his face. "Anyway, see you around. Maybe I'll get transferred to your class next year."

"Hopefully," I said.

Hopeful. It's been a pretty lousy month again, besides the celebrations at the beginning. But at least it ended in a nice-enough note.

**In case you didn't notice, the abandoned guild hideout last chapter was actually the one from The Faeries' Ruin, where the other artefact was. **


	41. May at Age 10

**'Kay, I kinda have some bad news. I'm going to be busy experimenting with other types of writing the week after the next, and it's really confusing if you try to write two fiction things at once. So, the week after the next (there'll be an update next week), no update. Also, since I'll need time to actually write the chapter, the week after that will probably have no update too. Sorry. :( **

The Month of Hunting (May) Age 10

Week 1

I woke up earlier than usual again. If I don't watch out, this might actually become a habit! Anyway, I still felt awful about Dad. It really did feel like bereavement again. But I refused to believe that he was going to die. He's way too smart for that, and like Kanrik said, he's a Master Thief. The Guild leader wouldn't send his apprentice's father on a suicide mission, right? Right. So why was I so worried?

I made my bed, like Mom always told me to, and went to the kitchen. Mom wasn't there yet—she stayed up late last night crying. I heard her all the way from my own room. I had thought about going to her, and then thought better of it. One of the things she hates most is when she appears weak, even though it's for a perfectly good reason. I realized that it was just going to be the two of us for what probably is going to be a long time, despite what Dad said. I bit my lip, slightly worried. Mom's the stricter parent, and I have a feeling that without Dad's interference, I would've ended up in a locked room where she could always keep an eye on me.

Nah, scratch that. She tried to do it once before, and she let me go on her own. I know we're going to get along in the next few months.

I ate some cereal really quickly, scribbled a note for Mom, and then went out. I wasn't exactly sure where I was going—it was the weekend again, and I was just wandering about. Usually, I'd go with one of my parents to do something or another (like exploring the nearby hills, scouting a few jewelry shops, normal stuff like that…). Now I didn't know what to do with myself.

Then I saw Marie. She was wearing her hood again, so I almost mistook her as Masila. I do know now that her cloak is a lighter tint of blue than Masila's. In fact, that's the only way to tell them apart when they're both hooded. I followed her. "Where are you going?" I asked.

"To the castle," she said calmly. I stared. "Oh, don't worry. I might be a thief, but I rarely ever get caught and always keep my face carefully hidden when I do. Those guards only recognize me as Sam's mother, and the widower of their late general." Her voice turned sad at that.

"Can I come?"

"Why?" she asked.

"I'm bored. I don't really have anything better to do."

"The devil plays with idle hands," she warned me.

"What?" I said, frowning.

"It means not to say that. Having nothing to do is better than having a big problem to solve. I thought you of all people should know that by now, as you've challenged Masila these last few months."

I shrugged sheepishly. "I guess you have a point. But I like challenges."

"I'm sure you do," she said, smiling knowingly. "Or perhaps you just want to keep busy to keep your mind off a few…things?" She had read me like a book, seeing the real reason why I wanted to tag along. I didn't want to think of Dad again. I nodded. "All right, dear. You can come. Just keep your head down," she added.

I sighed gratefully and followed her into the gates. We maneuvered around, mostly avoiding the hall for the younger kids where Brynn stays. At that time of the morning, she was probably still sleeping, but we didn't want to take any chances. And yeah, we didn't see her. We did see someone else, though.

A large Usul in a business suit was waiting impatiently in the hall. My jaw dropped. "What is it, Hanso?" Marie asked when she saw my face.

"It's…It's Hazel's dad," I squeaked. "He's come to take Violet away again!"

She frowned. "What?"

I did my best to give her the whole story in a nutshell. "So," I was finishing, "As long as Violet stays in the Guard she's protected from the Tradition, but as soon as he takes her home she'll be forced to marry someone by the time she's fifteen. Sam tried to prevent something like this, he made a group called the Rebellion…"

She shook her head. "He's been leaving a lot of stuff out of his letters."

"Maybe we should talk to him," I suggested. "He might be…right there!" I said as I saw him go down the hall. "Sam-"

"Samuel Ritch, come over here this instant!" Marie said in her best mom-voice. "You've got a lot of explaining to do!"

The teenager froze in the hallway and turned around. "Mom?"

"Do you have any idea how worried I've been, young man?" she said, taking him by the ear.

"Ow! Ow!"

"No crying out," she snapped. "Didn't they train the guards to face worse? Anyway, what you did with Kanrik was highly risky. Letting a bunch of little girls – and a few boys as well – in the Thieves' Guild?"

"Nothing happened to them," he said weakly.

"Well, Marie did get locked up for like a month," I supplemented. "So you can argue some bad stuff happened form there anyway."

"You got locked up for a month?" he said, his jaw dropping. "Who did that? I'll take care of them-"

"No need, son," said Marie dryly. "I did it for you. But next time, you're going to have to tell me when you're going to smuggle some guard girls in. I might not have your aunt's voice, but I might be able to talk you out of it anyway. At the very least, we'll be able to organize something a bit more stealthy."

"Okay," he said, grinning. They hugged.

"Um, not to try and break things up too quickly, but did I just see Violet's father going to the Draik man's office?"

Sam cursed. "Yeah. They're trying to catch us off-guard so he can get Violet out of here without notice. But Robin Hood knows she has friends—I'm pretty sure she's getting help from the Rebellion right now, or at the very least Brynn and Sophia."

"What are you waiting for?" Marie asked. "Aren't you going to help her?"

He hesitated. "Should I? I mean, I would, I always would, but he's an adult…"

"So will you be, in a few years," said Marie sternly. She raised her eyebrows. "I thought you of all people wouldn't be scared of a guy like him."

"You told me to never use the voice thing unless it's for emergencies," he pointed out.

"So I did," she said, and for a moment a look of guilt flashed on her face. "Still, this can count as an emergency, don't you think?" She pointed to where I knew the Draik man's office was. The door was slightly ajar, so we could all hear what they were saying.

"Pack your bags, girl. And put your clothes on; we're leaving," Violet's father told her. Someone closed the door. Since Marie and I were trained to listen carefully, we still had no problem listening to what they were talking about. Sam, though, had to cup his hands around his ear and press his face against the door.

"No we're not!" I heard Violet cry out.

Her father laughed cruelly. "Getting feisty, are we? We'll soon knock that out of you. Your brother has a wonderful way of dealing with these things."

"I'll go pack," she said so softly that I almost couldn't hear. Then I realized what was happening. Marie managed to duck under a table just in time—I was still standing in the middle of the pathway. She blinked when she saw Sam had been eavesdropping (the cupped hands were a dead give away) but she looked absolutely gob-smacked when she saw me. For a moment she forgot all about her fear and opened her mouth to scream.

I raised a finger to my lips, and gave her a look that said, _If I'm going down, you're going down with me._ And she would have done. I could've claimed that she helped me sneak in the castle.

Realizing this also, she glared at me, knowing that I had the upper-hand. Thankfully Brynn and Sophia didn't notice, as they were still staring at Sam. I quickly backed away and hid with Marie. Sam grinned at Violet a little and pushed her back in the room. He closed the door. "No one's going anywhere," he was saying to Violet's dad, "Except you." His voice became really persuasive that you couldn't help but believe him. "You're going out, or you're going down. It's your choice, but I warn you _not_ to underestimate me."

"Who's this guy?" Violet's dad asked in disbelief.

"Sam," I heard Sophia say.

"He's a trainee guard here," the Draik man explained.

"For another three years!" Sam happily reminded everyone. "Then I can kick your butt legally, sir, for it will be my job."

"Get out of here, kid," Violet's dad snarled. "We don't have need of you."

"She does," Sam said, and I guessed he meant Violet.

"Violet, get your stuff."

"She's staying here!" Sam snapped.

There was a brief silence, and I seriously wondered what was going on in there. Marie had a small, sad smile on her face. "Scary, sometimes," she told me, "How much he reminds of Masila when we were younger."

"Until she got the voice thing," I muttered.

She shook her head. "She was reluctant to use it at first, like I said last month. One of her problems was that she wouldn't speak up."

"She didn't seem to have any problems with Galem when I saw them in the crystal ball," I pointed out.

"Don't underestimate him," she warned. "He might seem dopey at the time, but you have to know that he eventually understood that he needed to be cunning in order to maintain his position. He just wasn't cunning _enough._" She looked away. "And anyway, it wasn't Galem she had that much trouble standing up to."

"Who?" I asked.

"I better not say," she said simply.

"Was the person one of the other persuasive people you were talking about?"

"Sort of," Marie said. "But still, even that person could only bully Masila so far." A half-smile appeared on her face. "Masila had what you would call…a berserk button, shall we say-"

Before she could tell me anything else, we heard Violet's father sneer, "I'll go. But next time, my girl, I _will _bring your brother." The door banged open, and we had to duck again. Just for a second, Violet and I got a glimpse of each other. It was enough. She mimed putting a finger across her neck—I was pretty sure I understood the message.

"I guess I better go," I said. "I don't think Violet likes me here."

"Indeed," said Marie. She looked at me with a sad expression on her face. "Let me get this straight. She's a rich girl but is working to escape the Tradition, right?" I nod. She shook her head, almost in awe. "Wow. She didn't seem that self-resilient. In fact, to be honest, she doesn't seem like the guard-type."

I shrugged. "I guess she'd do anything to get away from the Tradition."

Week 2

Like I promised Hazel, I went to visit Charlie today. Honestly, I hate myself for putting it off for so long, but I did need to get over the whole bereavement thing to the stage of acceptance. Still, I think I'm still somewhere along denial. He's not going to die. And that's a good thing. Because he's not going to die. Right?

It was lucky that I had Timmy with me. He wanted to go on the swing with 'Teddy,' the same bear I gave him a few years ago. I'm actually kind of touched that he kept it. Briefly, I wondered how long until he'd get tired of it; possibly never. I still sleep with Pudding, a stuffed toy that my mom got me when I was little.

I'm so glad that no one can read this journal. If anyone found that out, I'd be the laughingstock of the Thieves' Guild.

The sun loomed overhead. A sweet breeze wafted around us. It's always beautiful in the rich kid neighborhood; it's just too bad that most of the rich kids here are so rotten. I hurried over to Charlie's home. It's now officially fully rebuilt from that fire a few years ago. What I didn't understand was why they made it exactly like the house before. Couldn't they have made something more original?

"Hanso?" Charlie said. He had a tired expression on his face, but he smiled. "I'm-" *yawn* "Terribly glad you're all right after the whole incident from-" *yawn* "two months ago. Too busy to see me, eh?"

"Sorry, Charlie," I apologized. "It's just-"

"You got huddled up again. I understand," he yawned. "Awfully boring being a rich kid. The only thing you get to do in life is to crunch numbers, and I positively hate Math." He made a face. "Ah, well."

"Sorry," I said again. "Hey, why are you so sleepy? You staying up late?"

He grinned mischievously. "A little trick I learned from you thieves. Remember you once told me about your secret codes?"

"Yeah," I said, half-fearful that he actually figured them out. Even if he is my friend, who knows what he could do with that knowledge.

But he continued, "I haven't gotten the thieves' codes, as your all-too-easy-to-read face shows you're scared of, but I did learn Morse code."

"Morse code?" I asked.

"Well, you do it with a flashlight, and you respond with a number of clicks and silences."

"Whaaa-?"

"Oh, well, it's rather difficult to explain. But basically, you can do it with a flashlight. Since our parents generally sleep early, and we're almost right across the street from each other, Hazel and I are able to communicate through that."

"Wow," I said, impressed. I never gave that much credit on how resourceful Charlie is.

There was something sad in his face, though. "But…"

"But?" I questioned.

"I haven't actually seen her since two months ago. I haven't talked to her about her much about her little talent, but I know it's bothered her dreadfully." He shook his head. "That's the annoying thing about codes—you can't pester someone to answer. I know she's really, really scared of what might happening to her- and she mentioned once having a voice in her head."

"Don't worry," I told him. "I got Marie to take care of that. She's Masila's younger sister and Sam's mom, so she has a lot of experience with it. Anyway, she said that if Hazel stops using it for awhile, it might go away."

"Do you really think so?" Charlie asked. He seemed slightly disappointed.

"What?" I said.

He shrugged. "It's nothing, just…do you know how much good Hazel could do with that gift? Why, she can stop her brother from bullying her. Heck, she could stop her father from bullying her. She can convince her parents exactly who she wants to marry—though I doubt anyone would ever be strong enough to convince their parents to let her break free from the Tradition itself."

I knew were this was going. I shook my head. "Charlie, Marie had the same idea when she was younger. It didn't work."

"What?" he said, astonished.

"Well, she and Masila were bullied a lot," I explained. "When Marie found out that Masila had the gift, she pushed her to use it. Eventually, it overpowered Masila, and she just couldn't stop anymore. You know how she is now."

"But Hazel won't turn evil," Charlie pressed. "She's too nice."

"Masila was nice too," I said. "Well, Marie said she was. Anyway, I don't think we should chance it."

"You're probably right," Charlie conceded. "But I wish I could see her, at least."

"Why dwon't we?" said Timmy. We both jumped, forgetting he was there. "I wanna visit the pwincess!"

"Charming idea," said Charlie with a smile. "But her brother would kill her if he found out."

"Or I could kill her anyway," said a voice behind us. We whirled around.

"Ebony," Charlie spat.

"Charles," said Ebony. "Nice to meet you, as always." Needless to say, he was lying.

Charlie glared at him. "It'll be nice to meet you when you get dragged through Moltara and left to burn-"

"Uh-uh-uh," said Ebony, wagging his finger. "Wouldn't want my little sister to get hurt, hm?" He pulled Hazel behind him. He had stuffed a handkerchief in her mouth and had a blindfold to keep her from warning us, but she was struggling to get away from him with all her might. She was no match for him, though, and he just laughed as she kept getting more and more tangled.

Charlie was outraged. "Why, you dirty scumbag-"

"What's this I hear about a talent?" he cut in. He grinned evilly at Hazel. "I always thought that my little sister here was just a whimpering weak thing. Hardly ever doing anything enough to be called a person. At least Violet had enough initiative to start a gang of her own, though it was composed of girls." He made face. "And at least I know she can shoot. This one is just my poor, invisible mother through and through. She's…"

"She's nwicer that wou'll ever be!" Timmy cried. "Wet the pwincess go!"

At that, Ebony pulled Hazel's gag out and squeezed her wrist until it made an awful crunching sound. She screamed and fell in her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Don't you dare," Ebony warned when Charlie rushed to help her. Charlie glowered at him, but backed away when he saw his members of his gang approaching. "I'll repeat myself: What is this little talent?"

"Nothing," Charlie lied.

"Really? You were making such a big fuss of it. Said that it could even defeat my father. I'd love to know what she has that I haven't-"

"Othwer than she uses swoap? You're stwinky!" Timmy said cheekily. I couldn't help but laugh. A few of Ebony's side laughed, too, though they instantly silenced when he looked daggers at them.

"Think you're so smart, do you, little guy?" Ebony said, going closer. "I remember you. The one who I pushed off the swing."

"'Cept this twime," Timmy said bravely, "I would'a pushed wou back."

"Is that so?" Ebony snarled. As fast as lightening, he grabbed Timmy's teddy. The little guy's face froze with horror. Ebony grinned and ripped the teddy's head off its seams, pouring a large amount of white fluff and stuffing to the ground. "Whoops! It seems Teddy…lost his head."

"Teddy!" Timmy wailed, trying to get the body and the head. I held him back, knowing that worse would come if he approached the bunch of spoiled rich kids.

"G-give it back to him, Ebony," said a weak voice. Even though Hazel couldn't see what was happening, she probably put two and two together. It was the first words that she said. And for some reason, they sounded different. More…persuasive. With dread, I realized she was using her talent, even though Marie told her not to. "It'd be a really good idea if you gave it back, don't you think?"

"Hey, yeah," said Ebony, as if dazed. "That's what I'll do. Here you go, kid." Then he blinked. "What just happened?" He stared at his sister, shocked. "You-you just cast a spell on me, didn't you?" Hazel stayed silent. "Answer me!" He started shaking her by the shoulders violently.

"N-no," she whispered.

"If you won't," he sneered, "I guess you'll just have to spend the night in the shed again."

"My friends will come after me-"

"What friends? These?" He grinned. "Try and rescue Hazel and I swear I'll push her in the river with her still blindfolded. And she can't swim."

She struggled. "Then…Violet."

"Pfft. Was she here the last time? Or the time before that?" He shook her again. "She's not going to come. She abandoned you three years ago!" He pushed her, and smashed against the wall like a rag-doll. A sharp cry came from her before she could fully conceal it. I tried to step closer, but two members came and went around her. She was trapped. "I suggest you get out of here," Ebony said from behind the hulking people. "You wouldn't want to hear what I'm about to do." As if to prove his point, Hazel shrieked. I guessed that he just twisted her arm.

Timmy began crying then. I guess this was too much for a four-year-old to take. Although I hated being told what to do, Ebony was right—we had to get out of there. I glanced at Charlie. His fists were clenched. I had a feeling that if I didn't interfere, he would've charged out and did something drastic. Instead, I grabbed his hand along with Timmy's. "Come on," I told them.

I had no idea where we were going. We just randomly went to the marketplace and collapsed on the bench, all upset and angry. "The pwincess…Teddy…" Timmy whimpered.

"There, there," said Charlie, but he was obviously thinking about what was happening to Hazel. For a few minutes, none of us had any idea on what to do.

Then I felt someone slide next to me on the bench. "What's up?" said Brynn softly, indicating Charlie and Timmy.

I looked at her, slightly surprised that she paid attention to me even though I wasn't stealing anything. I blinked and sighed. "There's absolutely nothing you can do to help."

"Of course there is," she persisted.

"Brynn!" an annoying voice called. I rolled my eyes. Great. The other mean sibling. "Sam's mother is different! Hanso is not your mother so it is wrong to be friends with him!"

That comment took me by surprise. I nearly burst out laughing. Smirking a little, I commented, "I'm actually kinda glad I'm not your mother." Then I realized that might have sounded rude. "Not that I don't like her but…"

"How would you know about Brynn's mother?" Violet said accusingly. Oops.

"I have my ways," I said. I didn't say anything else about it.

"You still haven't told me what's up," Brynn told me.

Before I could answer, Timmy held up his toy. "He bwoke Teddy," he informed her tearfully. I have to admit, I was a bit surprised on having him say that so quickly to her. He was raised to hate guards. Still, I guess having me as a kind of mentor definitely helped.

And I guess it didn't hurt that Violet went on her knees and inspected his toy carefully. "Brynn's mummy can fix this," she said with confidence. She turned to Brynn. "Can she?"

Brynn seemed slightly taken aback by the change of mood. "Yes," she said, after a pause. "It might take a few days, but she's very good at sewing."

Timmy nodded and clutched what remained of his stuffed animal. "Who did this?" Violet asked him. I guess his fear caught up with him by then, because he didn't say anything. She turned to me instead. "Who did this?" she repeated. She had a familiar, angry, fiery glint in her eye. I was so glad I wasn't her enemy.

"You won't like my answer," I stated.

"Tell me," she pressed. She looked like she wanted to shake me, like Ebony did to Hazel.

"Your brother," Charlie snapped before it got to that point. He looked up, frowning. Violet does look different with her armor on. "It is you, isn't it? I would feel awfully foolish if it wasn't."

Violet stiffened when she saw who answered her. She gritted her teeth. "Last time I checked, yes, I am me."

"Yep," he muttered, almost too low for me to hear. "Definitely Miss Firecracker." Out loud, he told her, "You would never have said that sort of thing before all this…business." He gestured to her armor, her bow and arrow, and her confident stance. I didn't know who she was before, but judging by the way she acted when her dad came…definitely not like she was now.

"That idiot can't hold on to me forever," Violet said angrily.

Charlie rolled his eyes. "I doubt you would say that to his face." Violet glared at the ground—she knew he was right, and she wasn't happy about it.

"So," Brynn interfered. "Violet's brother did this?"

"Yep," I confirmed.

"And we're sitting here doing nothing?" she added, raising her eyebrows.

My shoulders slumped. "What can we do?" I asked her. "He's older than us, bigger than us. Anyway," I said, holding up my arms, "We only have one dagger between the three of us." And that is, if she doesn't confiscate it.

Instead, she said determinedly, "Add on a sword and a bow and arrow between the five of us." My jaw dropped. She was going to help? As in, officially, directly help? That's the first time she really did that. And, no that I think about it, the first time that I really needed it.

But it was still hopeless. "Okay. It's still nothing. He probably has big guns or something hidden in his shed."

Violet smirked. "As if Mum would allow that! Mind you, Dad has all the power…" At the mention of her father, she cringed and shook her head desperately, her eyes wide with fear. "We can't go."

"Violet!" Brynn snapped. "Our job is to look after the citizens of Brightvale." What she didn't say though I knew she wanted to (and what I wanted to say for myself): _She is your sister, for Fyora's sake! Even if you don't like guarding, she isn't just a citizen of Brightvale. And you're leaving her alone. What a coward. _

Brynn shook her head and turned to us again. "Did he do anything else?"

Charlie and I glanced at each other. There was a long pause. Finally, he said, "He locked Hazel up in that shed of theirs."

Violet straightened up visibly. Her fists were clenched, just like Charlie's had been earlier, and she had a very, very angry expression on her face.

"We tried to stop them," I began, not wanting Brynn to think I abandoned Hazel.

"But they were too swong," Timmy finished.

"I suppose Violet would prefer not to be involved," Charlie said slyly, noticing the effect it gave the snooty guard. "I understand that."

"No!" she yelled, finally cracking. The fiery courage was back again in her eyes. "He's taken it too far!" She grabbed Charlie by the shoulders. "Did he hurt her?"

"She was screaming an awful lot," Charlie said, with a pained look on his face. "Though we didn't see very well." Surrounded by minions and all.

"Okay," Violet said, standing up. "We're going to sort this out right now." I grinned slightly. _That's _the Miss Firecracker we all know and love. She stormed right out of the marketplace and into the rich kid's neighborhood with her head held high—even though she was clutching her bow and arrow.

I began to feel a little apprehensive, though. If it was just me, fine. But Timmy and Charlie, against Ebony? Well, I guess they did help beat Masila. But I was still kind of uncomfortable letting them get in danger on purpose. Seeing my worried expression, Brynn flashed me a smile, and I instantly forgot what I was thinking. "Coming?"

"Yeah," I said, dazedly. She _was _pretty when she smiled. I blinked, shaking my head. That was odd. "Timmy? Charlie? You two ready?"

"Yes, we jolly well are!" said Charlie, standing up.

"Timmy?" I asked him.

"Yep," he replied. He was still clutching his teddy, but it was clear Timmy was out for revenge. One thing I should remember: Never mess with a little kid.

They began walking quickly to Violet's house. Maybe a little too quickly. Charlie was red in the face, and remembered that as a rich kid, he wasn't used to extortion. Not to mention that stupid heart disease. I glared at Violet's back. She should know this! "I'm all right," Charlie panted when he saw me glance at him. "I want to get to Hazel fast, too."

"Still," I said. "You _are _a rich kid, Charlie."

"So?" he snapped.

"So…well…oh, never mind," I said. We all raced up to Hazel's house, me practically dragging Timmy along. Charlie puffed behind us.

Violet banged on the door like she was mad at it. Instantly, it was opened by a lady whom I recognized to be her mom. She was pretty, in a porcelain-doll sort of way, like she would break any moment. I can see why Ebony said that she was weak—still, he's saying that about his own mom. I can't get my mind around that.

"Who are you?" she asked tentatively. Whoa, Violet does look different in her guard suit. Then her mother blinked and realized who she was. "Violet!" Her eyes darted around, just like Hazel's did. "You have to go! If your father catches you here…"

As if on cue, a voice yelled, "Honey! Who is it?"

I saw Charlie roll his eyes, almost imperceptibly. "What?" I said silently, not wanting to distract Violet. She and her mother were talking.

"Nothing," he said. "Just another stupid part of the Tradition. When girls are married, they have to change their names into their husband's customs. So, if a rich girl who had the name of a fruit married a guy who had a name of a vegetable, she'd have to change it to fit the family."

"Wait…her name is Honey?" I said in disbelief. He nodded. "Wow. That's kinda weird."

"I suppose. Hazel has a boy cousin whose name is Hot-Pink."

"You're kidding."

"I wish I were."

"Honey!" Violet's father shouted. "Get in here and sort my tea!"

"Coming, sir," she called back. I honestly can't believe it. She calls him 'sir?' My mom would beat Dad up if he ever tried to get her to call him sir.

Of course, he'd have to be here. I swallowed the lump in my throat. I couldn't get distracted now.

"Be careful, kids," Honey said finally. Before she ran back inside, she eyed Charlie seriously, as if the warning was meant for him.

"Now where?" Violet asked in frustration. I heard Ebony mention that they were going to lock Hazel in a shed, so I assumed that was what she meant. "The quickest way I can think of is getting over the back gate, but how do we do that?"

I grinned, remembering my first lesson with Kanrik. He made me jump…about fifty walls? "I can help with that. It's the sort of things they teach us thieves."

"Why do they never teach us guards anything we'll actually use other than weapon use?" Violet said, stamping her foot.

"Hanso," Brynn said.

"Yeah?"

"Could you show us how to get over the gate?"

"I sure can!"

Violet practically pushed us all there. I mimed the steps carefully, especially for Timmy and Charlie. I wasn't worried about Brynn—I was pretty sure she could handle it on the first try. But I knew I wasn't the best teacher. I made sure they all understood, and then did it myself. "It's easy," I tried to reassure them from the other side.

Timmy came up first. He clutched at the top of the gate, scared, and then toppled over. I caught him in mid-air, and we both collapsed near the shrubbery. I hoped Violet's father wouldn't notice.

I stood up—and got knocked over nearly jumped the entire thing, grabbing on me to keep balance and shoving me to the ground. I glared at her, but she didn't pay attention to me. Luckily, Charlie was a lot more cautious, and all I had to do was to help him climb down. Brynn landed perfectly, like I knew she would.

The garden was actually pretty. Huge, too. I wouldn't be surprised if Hazel and Violet used to play hide-and-seek there; or maybe if they used it just to hide from their brother. The landscaping was awesome, with sloping hills, blooming flowers, and even a water-fall. Violet ignored all that, though, and ran to the stone shed in the center.

"Hazel?" Violet said, banging on the door again. "Are you there?"

"No!" her panicked voice said. Obviously a lie, and almost a funny one, if the situation hadn't been so serious.

"It's me, Hazel. It's Violet." She tried to make her voice sound comforting. "It's okay, I'm here to get you out."

"Violet?" Hazel said in disbelief. "Really? Ebony said you weren't gonna come."

"When has Ebony ever been right?" Violet said. Hazel giggled.

As sweet as the moment was, we had a time limit. Violet's father or brother could be outside at any second. "I hate to break it to you," he said, "but how exactly are we going to break in? We don't have anything of use, really." After all, picking locks is useless here. They'd just inform the Guard, and Mr. Daley to boot. We'd all be in real big trouble.

Violet was about to retort (she was probably going to say something like, you break into shops everyday!) but Brynn interrupted, "He does have a point." Violet glowered at her, and then at the ground.

"Hazel," she called finally. "Is there anything you can use in there to get out?"

"There are some boxes in the back," Hazel admitted. "I think Daddy keeps his and Ebony's hunting things in there."

"Okay," Violet said. "Is there anything you can use in there?"

There was a pause. "I found Daddy's rifle." I nearly choked. They _did_ have rifles! Sweet Fyora.

Violet's expression never changed. "Okay. I'll let you know when we're all out of the way and then you can shoot down the door and get out."

My jaw dropped. Shoot down the door? "Could that actually work?" I whispered to Charlie.

He shrugged. "Hazel would try anything for Violet."

"And for you too," I added. He shrugged again, and looked determinedly at the door, as if willing it to open.

There was a jumble of boxes being turned over. Then the jangling stopped, as if Hazel was thinking something. "All? Who else is there?"

Violet took in a breath. "Brynn; she's my friend from the guard." I saw Charlie raise his eyebrows, like thinking that the name sounded familiar. Then his eyes widened with understanding.

"Who else? There's someone else or you would've said 'when both of us are out of the way.'"

Violet took a deep breath again. "There's a little Wocky kid-"

"Timmy?" Hazel said hopefully.

"Yeah!" Timmy confirmed.

I grinned. Now that Violet's mentioned Timmy, she had to add me in. "There's…the thief friend of Brynn's…"

Charlie gave me a half-smile. I called through the door, "Here, Hazel!"

"And there's…" Violet hesitated. Charlie looked daggers at her, as if daring her to leave him out. She glared back. "There's Charlie."

"Charlie!" Hazel squealed excitedly.

Violet rolled her eyes and made us get out of the way. She nearly pushed Charlie to the ground. "Sorry," she muttered. Then she said, in a deadpan voice, "Fire away."

Immediately, there were two big bangs. I glanced briefly at the doorway, but it seemed that no one had heard. Hazel carefully stepped out of the hole she made and rushed over to Violet, hugging her tightly. It was a good escape plan, I decided. But it left too much damage, and I had a feeling that Hazel or at least her mother would get into big trouble for this. For the moment, though, the little princess didn't care. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"If anything happens," Brynn said, "Send someone to come and get us."

"Yep," agreed Hazel.

Violet turned away. "We should go. If Ebony gets here, I'm dead."

Brynn hesitated, and then turned to me. "Are you going to get back all right?"

"Yeah," I assured her. "See you around, I guess."

"Yeah," she said, grinning. "We always bump into each other, so I think that's a safe bet." She didn't seem too sad about that.

I smiled back. Timmy even waved. "Bye."

"Bye boys," she said. She went to Charlie and Hazel, who were chatting like a mile a minute. "Bye guys."

"Good-bye…" Charlie paused. "I don't recall you telling me your name." He had a small grin on his face.

"Brynn," she told him.

"Aha! Glad to finally meet you, Brynn," he said, grabbing her hand and shaking it. She looked at him in astonishment, and then turned to me. I just gave her a knowing smile, and she rolled her eyes.

"Bye Brynn!" Hazel said sweetly. I frowned. Too sweetly. She used her persuasive voice again.

Violet grabbed Brynn's arm and dragged her back to the guard base, saying something about all the criminals they didn't catch because they wasted more time than they needed to over here. I wasn't sure she was leaving to avoid her brother, me, or Charlie.

"Hey, Hazel," I said. "Why'd you use your persuasive voice when you said bye to Brynn?"

"I did?" she said, confused. "I didn't know." She was being honest, like always. "I've done what Marie said to do—I haven't been using it and trying to ignore the voice. But sometimes it just…slips out." She bit her lip. "I'm sure it's weakening, though."

But she had a worried expression on her face.

Week 3

I stopped by Brynn's house for a bit with Timmy. We really did need to get Timmy's teddy fixed, and since I knew where she lived, there didn't seem that much point in waiting until next month. As soon as training was over, I went to Timmy's house. It was in a fairly decent neighborhood, unlike most folks. But nobody knew that thieves lived there. Sure, people knew that Timmy's mom was a thief, but they didn't know where she went. She was that good.

She greeted me with a small smile on her face. "Going to fix Teddy, are you?" she said. I nodded. "You know, I'm really curious on how you're going to do it. I can't go to the seamstress near the marketplace—I'd stolen from her millions of times, and I think that you have, too."

"I have my ways," I said.

"Resourceful, aren't you?" she approved. "I hope it rubs off on Timmy. Sometimes I think he has his head trapped in a book much too often." Her face darkened. "And sometimes I think it gives him the wrong…ideas."

"What?" I asked.

She shrugged. "It's nothing, dear. Nothing I can't put a stop to at some point. I'll just have to take the tough love route sometimes, you know? Anyway…Timmy!" she called. "Hanso's here!"

"'Kay," Timmy said, appearing in the living room with the remains of his stuffed toy. He gave me a toothy grin. "We gonna go to Bwynn's house now?"

"Brynn?" his mother asked. "Who's she?"

"Um…an acquaintance. Come on, Timmy," I said, grabbing his hand.

It didn't take a long time at all. Brynn's mother took one look at the teddy and me (whom she recognized at once) and Timmy's tearful face, and she ushered us to come in. "Teddy's going to take awhile to get better, though," she said gently. "You'll have to come back around next month or so when he gets better. Don't worry, I'll make sure he'll be extra comfy."

"You sure you can fix this?" I asked. I didn't know anything about sewing, but Teddy didn't seem in great shape.

"Oh, don't worry," she said. "I have experience with stuffed toys. Brynn's always had one. I gave her one a few years ago…" She smiled slightly. "I don't think she'd want me to tell you that."

"You mean Blue?" I asked. "Oh, I know about him. She told me before."

"Really?" she said, raising her eyebrows. "I never did know how you two meet. You're obviously not a guard, and she spends most of her time at the base. Out in her patrol, then?"

"You could say that," I admitted. She laughed, and I knew she figured out who I was. I smiled sheepishly. "You could say that I'm, er, the main focus of her patrols."

"So you're Hanso?" she said. "My daughter had been accused of being your accomplice. You're not trying to involve her in anything, are you?"

"No," I promised. Well, not really. I was just supposed to spy on her. When she was grown up. For now, all I had to do was to be friends and make sure we had a good connection.

"Well, come back in a couple of weeks or maybe three. I'm going to be a bit busy, but I'll see what I can do. Don't worry, Timmy," she said to the Wocky. "He's going to be all better when you get here." Afterwards I just dropped him off again to his mother's house and said that he'd get his teddy back a few weeks.

She seemed surprised, but generally nice about it. You know, there's something odd about that lady. Not in a bad way, but…no offense to her, but she seemed like she was almost kissing up to me, like I see sometimes people do to Kanrik. She kept talking about my parents and how they were the Guild's top thieves, and did I have any idea how they did that?

I told her no, I didn't know much about my family's past. She looked disappointed—from what I can gather, she doesn't know either. I've heard that she was one of the more recent members of the Guild (If you can call staying for seven years recent).

Overall, she's okay. I have to wonder, though. What were those ideas that Timmy's mother considered 'wrong?'

Week 4

I went to Charlie's house after school, figuring that he'd be lonely again. I was right. He was sitting on his doorstep trying to read, but he kept glancing to Hazel's house. "Charlie!"

"Hanso?" he said, turning around. "What are you doing here?"

"I guessed you needed some company," I said. "My training's done for the day."

He smiled, a little bitterly. "Hazel wasn't punished," he confessed. "But her mother was. She told her husband that she had clumsily shot with the gun when she was cleaning up."

"What did he do to her?" I asked, aghast.

"She had to fix the door herself, plus work half the night. But she usually does anyway." Charlie sighed. "At least Hazel's mother loves her. Mine…perhaps she does. But I wouldn't know it." I remembered his mother. The one that kept calling her husband 'dear' and bossing him about. I would never want to meet her, much less call her 'Mom.'

Then I had an idea. "Hey, Charlie, why don't you come to my house?"

"What?" he said. "I thought thieves lived in the Thieves' Guild."

I laughed. "Common misconception," I told him. "Most do, actually, but my parents were lucky enough to move away. You don't want to be stuck in a place filled with thieves, even if you're one yourself. Anyway, you'll like my mom. She's nice."

"I'm…" He hesitated. I have to admit, he's a lot tougher and nicer than most, but he is still a rich kid. He's probably a bit scared of thieves. But he continued, "I'm sure you're right. Where should we go?"

I led him round a few blocks. It was kinda confusing (that was the whole point, my parents said to me once). Anyway, it's dangerous to give someone a thieves' address. But I trusted Charlie—I really doubt there'd ever be a situation in which he'd rat me out. Still, I began questioning my decision once we were almost there. It's definitely not what he's used to, and who knows how my mom will react?

I knocked on the door. "Hanso? Is that you?" Mom's voice called. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," I said. More playfully, I added, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you never knock!" she laughed, opening it. Then she blinked. "Oh. You've brought a visitor." She scrutinized him, taking in his fine clothes and his strict stature. "A rich kid, hm?"

"My name's Charlie, ma'am," he said nervously. "I could go if it's not a convenient time."

"Oh, no, that's all right," she said. "But isn't…aren't you the same kid that my son had to rescue from the fire a few years ago?"

"Erm, yes," he said sheepishly.

She shrugged. "Just checking. Come on in, dear." I relaxed when she began calling him 'dear.' She was warming up to him.

Charlie's jaw dropped when he saw my house. For a moment I was worried—then he grinned. "Sweet Fyora, this is amazing!" he said, peering at the pictures. The wall was just littered with them. "Oh, is that you on a bicycle, Hanso?"

"Yep," I said. I began praying that he wouldn't see the one where I-

Charlie burst out laughing. "Why, you painted yourself pink! Hot pink!" He laughed harder. "Oh, I have to tell Hazel when I meet up with her again..."

"Now that's just cruel," I commented.

"What were you doing?"

"Hey, I was three. It was a botched attempt at camouflaging, so I painted myself the exact color of the couch." I pointed to the sofa. He chuckled, talking about this piece and that while I told him the back-stories. And that was just the living room! He hadn't seen my room or the hallway (or as we like to call it, the hall of 'misdemeanors') yet.

But I knew we wouldn't have enough time, so we just hung around there and tried to cover the whole room. It was hard, though. There were a lot of things to talk about. I started wondering why I was worried about Charlie not liking it here. It almost seemed he never wanted to leave.

"Want a sandwich?" Mom offered when she came back. Both of us ate them appreciatively, though Charlie had an odd look on his face when he ate his.

When we began the back-story thing again, he said, "Mother never does any of this, you know."

"What?" Mom asked. She had come back with us, since she enjoyed hearing the stories as much as I did.

"Keep track of me. At times," he hesitated. "At times I thought she just wanted to get rid of me."

"I'm sure that's not true," she said. He shrugged. "So, darling, I've been meaning to ask you something. Your name is Charlie, right?" He nodded. "I was under the impression that rich kids had strict names, and that doesn't seem very formal to me. Though it is lovely," she added.

"Oh, my real name is Charles," he told her. She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "But my father called me this when I was little. I believe it had something to do with the belief that kids respond better when their name ends with a vowel."

"I know about that," Mom said, winking at me.

"And, well, I liked it. It seemed a lot nicer than the stiff name 'Charles.'"

"Good decision." Mom glanced at the clock. "I hate to bother you, boys, but it's getting late. Shouldn't you be getting-"

"Sweet Fyora!' Charlie stood up. "I've missed tea! Mother will be so displeased!"

Mom laughed. "Slow down, dear. I doubt she'd be too worried about that. Do you want me to talk to her?"

"No!" Both he and I said at once.

She blinked. "All right, all right."

"But," he said hopefully, "May I come back next week?"

She laughed. "Of course you can." He thanked her and quickly rushed home. I wasn't worried about him at this point—he knew how to take care of himself for the most part. Mom turned to me. "Dad sent a letter."

I sat up. "What! And you didn't tell me?"

"You were with your friend," she pointed out. "He's a nice boy. You should invite him around again—like he said, next week."

"Yeah, yeah. Can you show me Dad's letter?"

She gave it to me, a bittersweet smile on her face. I spent the rest of the night reading it again and again.

_Hey guys, _

_It's me. Obviously. So, I've been in Terror Mountain for a few weeks now, and it's freezing cold. We haven't quite reached the hideout yet, as apparently a few people have forgotten where it actually is (and Kanrik forgot to give us directions). The folks that our awesome Guild leader have chosen aren't very friendly, and we bickered on whoever's fault it was. The scapegoat was Norbert in the end. You remember him? I saw Hanso talking to his son on the dock. He's pretty cool and a lot smarter than he looks—but he's generally a push-over. I can see why it was easy for Masila to convince him. He'd do anything for his family._

_The same goes for me as well, of course, but he really shows it. Since family is all we both ever talk about, most of the thieves here are sick of me telling how brilliant Hanso is (hey, it's true) and him telling how brilliant Jordan, Kenny, Jerry, Bridgette, and Tyler are (when he talks, he talks LONG). _

_I'm a lot more used to traveling than these guys, so usually I'm in charge. It sucks. I don't know how Kanrik can stand leading a group of five people, let alone the entire Thieves' Guild. But whatever, they're depending on me. I hope you guys are all right, and not missing me too much. I'm okay. And yes, Liz, I've been eating three meals a day and keeping by the fire. _

_Hopefully the Mistress of Double-cross hasn't actually escaped, and that it was just a false alarm (though I'll never let Kanrik hear the end of it if it is). I'll find out one way or another; but don't worry, even if she is here we won't actually be fighting her. _

_In the meantime, remember what I said, Hanso. Use your snooping skills! And take care of your mother. Liz, don't you dare work harder than you have to. Chillax sometimes, 'kay, darling? _

_Love, _

_Peter_

**An interesting thing I found out as I was looking through the story is that I never put in what species Hanso's parents are. Some families (like Violet's) are all in the same one, but it kinda confuses me sometimes since usually families in Neopets are actually different species. So. I'm choosing at random here—I haven't put this in the story yet, so you can tell me suggestions for a particular species if you have one in mind—for now, Lizzie is a Xweetok and Peter is a Lupe. Everyone okay with that? **


	42. June at Age 10

**Warning: This is a lot darker than usual. I don't know if I pulled it off, though. **

The Month of Relaxing (June) Age 10

Week 1

I think Mom's getting really fond of Charlie. I pick him up almost everyday after training. Sometimes I don't even have to; he's already there, having learnt the way after a few trips. That kid has a good memory. He has some cool stories to tell, too—rich kids are way more mischievous than I realized, and he said that there were a few people in Ebony's gang who were all right as long as their leader wasn't with them. But the best thing about having him in my house was because he asked interesting questions.

Some of these questions I've already thought of, but I never really worked up the courage to ask them. I was always too scared that Mom would freak out or something. But Charlie didn't know anything about that, and because he was a guest, she nearly always answered. He questioned her about things like, "What happens if you get caught in jail for a long time?" or "How in Neopia did you get that pink paint off of Hanso?"

The most fascinating question that he asked, I think, was: "How did you ever agree to let Hanso have a guard as a friend?"

I always thought the answer to this was 'Because Kanrik told her so.' Instead, she said, "Well, that's an interesting question. A lot of things, actually—we respect different types of people, for one, and we hoped he'd do the same. You're not your job or your position, after all." She smiled. "And for another, Peter, my husband, already had a guard friend himself. You wouldn't believe how much it helped him."

"What?" I said, sitting up. "Who?"

She frowned. "She was to him like Marie is to me. I was never really close to her – maybe just a few quick meetings – but I know she was an overall good person, and important to the Guard. Some sort of reformer too, I think."

"Yeah," I said impatiently, "But who?"

She shrugged. "Um, Winter Leaves? Autumn Roots?"

A chill crawled up my spine. "Summer Vines?" I said tentatively.

She snapped her fingers. "That's her." She blinked. "Wait. How did you know about that? She died before you even turned seven." Charlie and I glanced at each other—I've already told him that story a few weeks before.

"I saw her around," I said simply.

"So," said Charlie, knowing exactly what I wanted, "What did you know about her?"

"Yeah. How come Kanrik let Dad be friends with her without any problems? I had to wait like a whole year before I was officially allowed to be friends with Brynn," I grumbled.

"It was the Guild's first few years when he began speaking with her. Kanrik was very, very busy – he couldn't keep track of all the thieves at once, and he knew that Peter was reliable. Besides, I think he assumed Peter was simply flirting with her." Mom rolled her eyes. "It was a fairly common thing with him those days; before I snapped him out of it."

"But he wasn't flirting with her," said Charlie. "Right?"

"He wasn't," she confirmed. "But he had gotten fond of…annoying her. She was one of the more uptight guards, the ones that did not want anything to do with thieves. Peter often emphasized that the first few years he'd known her, her morality was completely black and white."

"Sounds like someone I know," I commented. Though I guess she wasn't as strict about that anymore. "Then what?" I pressed.

"It was a push-and-pull kind of friendship. Slowly, I think they eventually learned to trust each other in a few ways. Even helped one another, sometimes. But only Peter always admitted that they were friends—Summer didn't acknowledge that. Even though she'd finally seen a little bit of grey, she was still…somewhat color blind."

"And?"

She opened her mouth and closed it. I could've sworn I heard her mutter, "No, it's not for me to tell this time." Out loud, she said, "And nothing. At one point they became friends."

"Just like that?" said Charlie suspiciously. Mom had a guilty look on her face.

"Well, maybe it wasn't quite that simple. But…let's put it this way. Summer did something wrong, and Peter helped her out of it. They became friends. It was during the last years of her life, though," she added sadly. "She got sent away to some mission on Krawk Island. There was some sort of massacre there, which the Thieves' Guild was definitely not a part of, although guards still suspect us. They lost a lot of good members that day—including Marie's husband."

"Whoa," I said, shocked. I never paid that much attention to how Summer died. And she knew my dad! I can't believe it. I have to ask him about this when he gets home—that is, if he isn't too sad about it. Maybe I'll get Charlie to come and help. He's pretty handy wheedling answers out of people.

You know, I guess Dad _has _mentioned Summer, though not by name. In fact, it was one of the last things he said to me before he went away.

_She went on a mission overseas, too. She never came back._

Week 2

I came to pick Charlie up like usual—though this time planning to stop by Brynn's house afterwards. Timmy has been begging and begging for Teddy back, and I could only take so much. I also thought Charlie might want to see Brynn's mom again, since she did offer him a home after the fire. But the moment I set foot into the rich kid's neighborhood, he jumped at me on the gate. "Whoa!" I said, stumbling back. "What's going-"

"Don't go in," Charlie said urgently. "I can sneak out for a bit, but not for long, and especially not if my family catches you here."

"Your family? What gives? I thought it was Hazel's I should be worried about."

"Usually, that's true," said Charlie, pulling me away from the borough. "But we have guests, and Mother has instructed Mr. Daley to monitor a tight security. Anyone who has the slightest traits of a tramp shall promptly get kicked out." He shook her head, and I noticed that he was wearing clothes ever fancier than usual. "I waited for you at the gate so you wouldn't come in, though I doubt that Mr. Daley would actually do such a thing."

"So who's visiting?" I asked, curious.

"Relatives, old friends of my father's from Meridell, that sort of thing," said Charlie dryly. His face darkened. "And my grandmother."

I frowned. "What's so bad about a little old granny?"

"Hanso, are you joking? You wouldn't believe how hard it is to please her! Last time she came, two maids quit and one was completely traumatized for a month. Some of our servants are already considering doing the same, or at least taking their time off. And, I might have mentioned, it's she who I get sent away to if it becomes apparent that I would fail at the Tradition."

"I still don't get that part," I said, wandering into the marketplace. "I mean, if you don't succeed, you don't succeed, right?"

"Nope," said Charlie, looking at a few stalls wonderingly. "If they pass the Tradition date – that's the day after the birthday of the deadline year-"

"Huh?"

"For example, my deadline is twenty-one. The absolute deadline would be the day I turn twenty-two—it would still be honored then. But if I become twenty-two-and-one-day, I'm completely cast out. I'd never be welcome in the neighborhood again; I'd have to stay from all my family and friends; I'd get sent to a-a community overseas, doomed to hard labor forever, _and _branded as a former rich kid. You'd be better off just running away—that symbol means that you're officially disgraced."

"A way to ensure they would tie the knot is to send rich kids away to a respectable establishment. Boys, like me, either join the guards if they're desperate enough to escape or get sent to a relative. A very, very strict relative. Girls who are near their, ah, expiration date get sent to Madame Belldame's Academy for Proper Young Ladies." He said it with a mocking tone in his voice. "Afterwards they're mostly all meek and obedient. It disgusts me."

"Mostly?" I said.

He shrugged. "There were rumors of a few exceptions. There was a rather interesting one you might want to know…"

"Who?" I asked.

"Hazel's mother," he replied, grinning slightly. "Rumor has it that the academy didn't seem to have fazed her at all."

"Yeah, but doesn't that mean that she was rebellious before?" I said.

He nodded. "Strange, since she isn't a bit like that now. Anyway, Hazel and I read it in a cut-out Neopian Times story we found in some of my law books."

"I didn't know you were interested in law." I gasped playfully. "You aren't thinking of…turning in to a goody-two-shoes, are you? Arresting your poor old friend? Oh, please, judge, I'm innocent! I'm innocent!"

"Really, Hanso!" he said, laughing. "My law books are from my house. But Hazel, Violet and I don't call them law books. We call them the cheat sheets." When he saw my confused expression, he continued, "None of us really know who, but somebody had scribbled on the margins about how to break the rules of nobility…without really breaking them."

"Like?" I questioned.

He shrugged. "One rule is that you cannot walk while you're in your best suit. That's for funerals and weddings, mind you, so have to get carried by servants. Thank Fyora no one close to my parents has gotten married or died—I would've been outright humiliated if I ever had to be carried by someone."

"Yeah," I agreed. "Sounds for an interesting April Fool's prank."

"You wouldn't dare," he said, backing away. I just grinned. "Anyway, the rule said you cannot _walk_. But that doesn't mean you can't run, skip, ride a bike, play in the mud, or do things that not walking was _supposed_ to prevent." He smirked. "One rule said that you must bow or curtsy to people higher than your rank. A duke of somewhere-or-another came to town one day, and I had great fun curtsying to him and not getting into any trouble, though needless to say, it frustrated my mother to _quite _a degree. There's a loophole for everything in there!" His smile faded. "Everything but-"

"The Tradition," I finished.

"And the custom that you have to design your new house exactly as your old one," he joked. Then he sighed. "Even whoever made up those loopholes couldn't think of a way to escape the Tradition. The brilliant royal family was just too specific about it. Breeding blue blood is very important to them." He shook his head. "But the cheats did help. When I lent it to Hazel, it helped Violet think outside the box. So when she came across the section about the Tradition which didn't have any notes on it at all, she found a certain sentence that said that 'Nobility wishing to serve the kingdom by bearing arms may do so with every bit of respectability, and are exempted from the Tradition.'"

"And she realized it didn't have to apply to only boys," I said. "It could apply to girls as well. So she did it." My voice admitted a bit of grudging admiration for her. This was actually kind of interesting—who knew that rich kids had to do so much? I was about to ask a few more questions when-

"Thief! Thief!" someone shrieked. I blinked and turned around. An old Yurble lady was pointing at me with her walking stick. My mouth dropped open. I haven't stolen anything from her!

Well, this time. I could've stolen from her before.

But I wasn't worried. It was week two, wasn't it? Brynn was the one patrolling, and Violet owes me a favor anyway. Then a huge, beefy hand – certainly neither of the two girl guards – grabbed me. The old lady trotted away. That was weird. I mean, what kind of lady does that? Was I imagining evil grandmothers because of what Charlie said?

"Officer, I swear he was with me the whole time-" Charlie began, and then paused.

"Why hello, dear cousin," Harry said in a mocking tone.

"Third cousins twice removed!" Charlie reminded him scathingly. "You can't arrest Hanso; he didn't do anything!"

"Actually, he's a rather well-known thief in these parts," he said calmly. "Now I suggest you go, Charles. Or I'll be taking you both, and then your lovely mother and grandmother will get _so_ disappointed."

"They'll believe me-"

"No, they won't." Harry smirked. "You know they like me better. I represent the perfect grandson—three-times removed nephew—whatever, when I joined the guards. You're just useless." Charlie looked down, and I realized that it was really killing him.

"Hey," I snapped, "That's only because I fire nearly killed him."

"What a pity," Harry said mockingly. "Ebony, wasn't it? Great guy…his sister was the prettiest girl in the Guard…he was the one who suggested I included her in my little gang."

I stared at him. "That was Ebony? You liked her because Ebony put you up to it?"

"Duh. And the fact that she was such a cute little pet."

Charlie snorted. "You can call Miss Firecracker anything you want, but she is not a pet."

"Firecracker, huh? That suits her. Maybe I'll use it sometime," Harry said. "But off you go, little cousin three times removed or something over the other. I've got to take this thief to jail."

"But he hasn't done anything-"

"Reason won't work," I interrupted Charlie. "You should go back, or maybe wait for me in my mom's house."

"I'm not helpless, you know," he grumbled.

"Of course you aren't," Harry said sarcastically. "I mean, you don't have a housekeeper who does everything for you, you can't walk one mile before killing yourself, and you're certainly not relying on thieves for security—what would your mother say?"

"Shut up," Charlie snapped.

"Ooh, I'm scared."

"Charlie," I pleaded, "You should go." He opened his mouth to protest. "He could use you against me. It's better if I do it alone." Charlie sighed disgustedly and went back to the direction of his house.

"Good. Now I can beat the crap out of you in peace," said Harry contentedly.

"What makes you say that?" I said, buying for time. He just laughed, knowing that by holding my arms my dagger was out of reach.

"One," he said happily, "I have the bigger weapon. Two, your little rich kid pals aren't here to save you. Three, Sam isn't here to save you. Four-"

"Shut up," I imitated Charlie.

"Getting a little defensive, are we?" He laughed.

Before I could snarl something back, a voice said, "Harry, what are you even doing out? Week two is our patrol week!" Needless to say, it was Brynn. He groaned.

"I could see this guy out my dorm window," he explained, giving me a little shake. "And I knew he was up to no good."

"Put him down," Brynn said.

"You're just gonna help him escape! You're his accomplice, and you're gonna let him go just because he's your boss!"

"Harry!" she snapped. Then her face changed, and a sly smile spread across her face. "I caught him stealing from a stall a few minutes ago," she lied.

My jaw dropped. "Brynn, I didn't-"

"I would like to torture the reason why this was out of him," she continued. Okay, now she was really, really lying. "And then I will lock him in a Master Thief cell because Hanso is truly a most dangerous criminal." Violet smirked.

Luckily, Harry is extra stupid. Whatever Brynn's plan was, it worked, and he left us alone. But not before he said, "I'll be waiting outside the dungeons. You'd better take him there."

Brynn released me. "What did you say that for?" I burst out. "Now I'm going to go to jail and I didn't even do anything!"

Unbelievably, she gave me Timmy's teddy. Just the thing I was about to get. "Right," she said, satisfied. "Now that's taken care of, I'm taking you to prison."

"Brynn! You can't take _me _to prison because _you _wanted to give me Timmy's teddy! Anyway, for once I wasn't even planning on doing anything illegal. I was going to see your-I mean," I quickly backtracked, "This lady who I know who fixes teddies and…"

"You took the teddies to my mum," she said dryly. She rolled her eyes, like saying, _Who do you think you're dealing with? _"I noticed."

She began dragging me to the dungeons with her friend Violet skipping alongside. I put up with it until I saw the Guard's base, when it fully hit me that she was actually going to do it. Then I refused point blank, and started forcing her to let go. Brynn tried to pull forwards. Then she blinked, like an idea hit her. She let go.

"Ha ha, very funny," I grumbled.

"Hanso, stand up," she ordered.

"No," I snapped. "You're taking me to prison for no reason; I'm staying here."

"Hanso, I know you didn't do anything," she assured me. "But if I don't take you to the dungeons, think of what Harry will do, to me and you whenever he sees you next." I frowned, like trying to size everything up and guess what she was planning.

"What are you doing, creep?" Violet shrieked. "I don't think you can read Brynn's mind or anything fancy."

"You were so much nicer when you were trying to save Hazel," I said angrily. She turned her back on me.

"Harry's not so good with which cell is which," Brynn explained. "I can put you in one of the normal ones and he'd believe me if I said it was the Master Thief one."

"Are you sure?" I asked doubtfully.

She smiled. "Knowing you, even a Master Thief cell wouldn't hold you for long."

"Especially if we leave you with a lock pick, some rope, and…some other escape thingy," Violet added.

"Wait—are you helping me?" I asked, confused.

"You know how it goes," Violet said. "Good deeds need to be repaid and all that. You let me know where Hazel was and you helped me save her." For a moment she looked right into my eyes, and I realized how much that meant to her. "That's a pretty good deed." Then she blinked. "This doesn't mean I like you, because I don't!"

I nearly laughed and allowed Brynn to lead me to the dungeons. Harry was there, of course. "You're such a traitor, Brynn," he told her. "You betray us to your boss, but then betray your boss to us. This tells us an important fact: Never trust girls."

Violet scowled and pulled me to a cell. I recognized it as the easiest one to break out of—the one with least security. "Here it is!" she lied happily. "The Master Security cell." She winked.

Brynn unlocked the door, and I went inside without a doubt. I guess you could say I trusted them completely now. Why shouldn't I? They helped me get rid of Masila. Brynn subtly passed me the key when Harry wasn't looking. "I'm fairly sure you aren't allowed to do this," I whispered.

Violet agreed softly. "I'm fairly sure we aren't as well. You better not make me regret this, thief."

"Good luck," Brynn said, turning around before she left.

"Bye, Brynn. Thanks for giving me Timmy's teddy, by the way." I made Teddy's arm wave to her.

She grinned. "Oh, and don't escape."

Needless to say, I leisurely left the cell within the hour. After giving Timmy his Teddy back ("Tweddy! Wou're okway!") I was home free.

Week 3

I can't stop shaking, but I have to write this.

Masila's officially back. Today, while we were learning about the different branches of the Thieves' Guild, Kanrik knocked on the door and entered. I think just about the whole class's jaws dropped. I don't think he's visited the classroom since he was seven. Anyway, he said in his most guild-leader-ish voice, "Can you excuse Hanso?"

"I didn't do anything!" I said, with my hands up. Kayley just shook her head at me.

Jacques coughed nervously. "Sure, Master Kanrik, but what do you need him for?"

For a moment it almost seemed that he was going to snap at the former pirate, but restrained himself. "Masila's in the forest," he said in a monotone voice. "I have need of his…special talents."

"What? But sir, he's just ten years old-"

"Hannah isn't here; she came last week. I'm pretty sure the Mistress of Double-cross timed it that way," he grumbled. "To get to the point, there's no one else I know who can help. Besides, he has already faced her before. I believe he can handle himself." It was nice to know he didn't doubt me, but Master Jacques had a point. I am ten years old. No matter what talents I have, I doubt he'd allow me to walk into danger that lightly.

But I got up. "See you guys later," I said. I smiled cheekily. "And if I end up like a pile of Shish-kebab-"

"Oh, don't say that!" Juliet said, glaring at me. After a few moments, her face turned into a grin again. She can never frown for long. "Be careful." She elbowed Julius, and he mumbled something about 'staying safe.' Razor gave me a thumbs-up sign, but Kayley just looked at me in a way that said_, If you die, I will kill you_. I think she was the most reassuring.

Once we stepped into the hall, Kanrik said, "You do realize what this means, do you?"

My mind went black for a moment. Then I realized something. I grinned. "Masila's not in Terror Mountain, so my dad can come back."

He looked away. "I hope."

"Wait." I paused in the middle of the hallway. "What do you mean, 'I hope?' He's coming back, right?"

"Hanso!' A voice cried out. I turned around and saw it was my mom. Her tear-stained face told me all I needed to know.

"He's dead, isn't he?" I said in a choked voice.

"It's not confirmed," Kanrik said, grabbing me and forcing me to face him.

"What do you mean?" I snapped.

"We just got a message from the team we sent to Terror Mountain," he said. "He said that there was some sort of massacre, and a lot of people went killed or missing. He sent a report, and your father was one of the 'missing.' He could have-" He paused at my unbelieving face. What did he expect? That I would listen to him rationally? "He could have survived. I should know that are plenty of ways he could've escaped. Don't count him out."

"Yeah, sure," I said sarcastically. "What, he dropped from a cliff into the freezing cold sea, and then scaled up back to land and hid in a cave? You survived because you've been living there your whole life." I looked at him. "Are we really meeting Masia? Is she really in the forest?"

He hesitated. "Yes, but that was just a cover story for you. You can go home-"

"No!" I yelled. "She killed my dad! I'm not just going to stay at home when she could kill so many others too-"

"We can't risk you exploding like that, Hanso."

"I'm not-" I took a few deep breaths. "I won't explode. You're going to need a truth-speaker."

"I've attended plenty of meetings without one. I'd rather not risk it. You should go-"

"No way," I said stubbornly. "Either you let me go with you, or I follow myself."

"You're being ridiculous!" he said angrily. "Fine. Come with me. But Lizzie, you're going home." Mom stared at him. "You're one of the best thieves we have, but you know that the risk is bigger for you than even Hanso."

"Not you too!" she groaned.

"Yes, me too," he growled at her. "Listen, you know that I took a big risk for you a long time ago. Everything nearly fell apart—I nearly got kicked out of my own Guild. The only one who managed to turn the whole thing around was Peter, and he isn't here." She cringed. "I cannot risk the Guild turning on me. The chance is a lot greater with Masila's voice. You have to go…for Hanso's sake, at least."

She sighed. "All right. But you're sending him back to me as soon as possible."

"Agreed," Kanrik confirmed. She practically ran away. "I should let someone go check on her."

"How about Marie?" I suggested with a bitter tone. "After all, her husband got killed too-"

"Stop it. Do you want to go with your mother?" I didn't answer. "If you want to go, be quiet and control yourself. Now come." I followed him to the exit- and nearly got bumped by Marie. "Can you-"

"Check on Liz? Of course," Marie said breathlessly. "I just have something to tell you. It's possible that Masila has another spy on the loose. Not in the Guild," she added. "But someone who has always favored her. And she has other…considerable talents."

"Give me a full report later," Kanrik said. "Anything else?" Marie hesitated for the briefest second, and then shook her head. I knew she was lying. "For now, the most important thing is to comfort Lizzie." Marie nodded and dashed away. Kanrik and I made our way to the thicket. I hated the place. To think that only a few weeks ago, we had celebrated our victory there. I walked faster.

And there she was, her arms crossed. She was looking as evil-pretty as ever, her hood pulled over her hair and her eyes switching colors at whatever she was looking at. They turned into a deep blue when she saw us. She frowned, but before she could open her mouth, I snapped, "Couldn't stay in jail, could you?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Of course I couldn't, darling. But that's an uncharacteristic thing for you to say."

"Masila," Kanrik snapped, "We're here to discuss the Thieves' Guild, not-"

"Oh, it's always in a rush with you, is it?" She shook her head. "I would think that as he was the one who saved you last time, you'd spare a minute for his thoughts. Now what happened to-"

"You killed my dad!" I blurted out.

She hardly blinked. "And when was this?"

"Today!" Even I was aware of how idiotic that sounded.

"I see," she said. "Did you know it takes at least one week to get from Terror Mountain to here? At the most, it's three. I _couldn't _have done it, sweetheart. I've been here the entire time." Kanrik flashed me a warning glare, but I needed someone to blame. "Also," she said when she saw my face, "I received no reports from my assassins in those parts, though if you sent a team there…you're getting the right idea. Anyway, I neither held the dagger nor gave the order. The most I can get accused of is simply positioning them there, in which case is your thieves' fault for not being careful enough."

I glowered at her. She was right—she didn't do anything this time. "But it isn't above you, is it, killing fathers?" I said bitterly.

"Depends," she said sweetly. "But Kanrik is right; we better get on to business. I rather didn't like how you threw me in prison, with the help of your guard friends no less. But no matter; I escaped, as always."

"We'll throw you back there again," I said.

"And I'll escape again," she replied. "It'll be some sort of endless cycle, I think? You throw me in jail. I escape. You throw me in jail. I escape. The irony is that it sounds like you guys are the guards. Anyway, I'll keep on escaping and hatching plans until I do win; and all you can do is just try to throw me back in jail. One of us is too, ah, noble to kill me." She smirked.

"Not anymore," Kanrik snapped. "If someone could kill you right now-"

"Oh, good, you're finally seeing sense."

"I'm only allowing people to kill you as an exception."

"Then I'm special!" she said, smiling evilly. "I honestly doubt any of you have the talent to kill me anymore. And you, well, you'd never have the guts. Skill, perhaps, but you wouldn't be able to do pull through with it. So here's your choice. You can either surrender now, or I keep doing damage until I've worn you down. Either way, I still win."

"You haven't got the force," Kanrik said.

"But I have the wits. You should know that, darling. I've changed the opinion of the whole Thieves' Guild twice. Once to support you," at this, her face turned disgusted, "And the next to support Vlade. Unfortunately, the latter wasn't able to keep it. I think there was some sort of trouble when he began breaking their limbs."

"There's a third option," he said. "You wouldn't have come here unless you were offering one."

"Right," she said. "I do know that I will win. But that might take time. Years, even. Hanso and his little class have proven themselves more resourceful than I thought; rest assured, I will not be underestimating them again. So I'm giving you an option on trying to fight back, and giving me a quick route to victory."

"Never," I seethed.

"Hanso," Kanrik snapped, "If you can't control yourself, go home. We have to look at every option we have. What is it, Masila?"

"A duel," she said carelessly. He stiffened. "Surely you know all the rules by now? It doesn't have to be a big deal; I'll just say, 'I challenge you in the name of Vlade to the right to rule the Guild,' and you accept, and we fight a duel to the death. Just like you did with Galem. In fact, maybe you should settle this right now, without any eyes watching you—you wouldn't want to be publicly humiliated now, would you?"

He rolled his eyes. "You, kill me? You have as much strength to do that as I do. You wouldn't."

"Well," she said, her voice hinting a little anger now, "I guess we'll just have to see, won't we?"

"No!" Marie shrieked, coming from nowhere.

"Oh, little sister, there you are," Masila said happily. "It's been a long time since we were all together."

"You can't do it," Marie snapped at her. "This trick won't work."

"What? Aren't you supposed to be with Liz?" Kanrik said, frowning at her.

"She came to me a few days ago, asking for a certain necklace," Marie explained. "She said it's rightfully hers."

"And it is," Masila pointed out. "You took it unfairly—we promised we'd never let other people interfere in our little contest. If you haven't noticed, I've honored that promise."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Marie said.

"So it does," Masila acknowledged. "That's why, when you refused, I sent assassins to your house to scour the place." She shook her head exasperatedly. "They didn't find anything. You were always a little too good at hide and seek. Anyway, I'm running a different thing now, dear sister. Though of course you could always give me the necklace by yourself…?"

"No."

"I thought not."

"Even if you do win, Masila, none of the thieves are going to stand for being ruled by you-"

"I thought we'd gone over this," Masila complained. "I don't want to rule the Guild myself! It gives me too much of a headache. I'm only interested in killing Kanrik. Vlade'll do it. We are allowed other people to represent us, you know, just in case you're too scared to face me yourself. I'll handle the Guild's opinion when I win." Marie looked at her suspiciously, like something wasn't quite right.

"Kanrik, you can't fall for this!" she told him. "Let someone else-"

"Nobody else can do it!" Kanrik snapped at her. "I don't want anyone to die for me, thank you very much, and she's too good with the dagger."

"Oh, I'm touched," said Masila dryly.

"Don't you care anything about Sam?" Marie asked her. "He could get hurt out of this."

For one moment, Masila's smile vanished. This is going to sound weird, but I heard some sort of voice. I'm not sure where it came from, but there was this sudden chill. And then I heard it. It was…scary, like the wind of the Haunted Woods when it sounds like it's whispering to you. But I couldn't make anything out.

Masila didn't show any sign that she heard, except her touching her head like she had a headache. Marie and Kanrik hadn't have seemed to have heard at all. I didn't say anything—the chill was gone as quick as it had come. But I had a very, very bad feeling about it.

Masila straightened up. "You don't have to tell me who I'm competing against now," she said, standing. "I'll give you a few weeks."

"A few weeks for us to torture ourselves with this decision," Kanrik muttered.

"You _are_ seeing sense!" said Masila, smirking.

"Well, it's not like you wouldn't get our decision ahead of time," I said. "Thanks to your spy."

"You mean Sasha?" Masila asked. "No worries about her. She has long forgotten the entrance of the Thieves' Guild – a clever enchantment on your part, I must admit – and she has gone to resume her life elsewhere. My best guess would be that rich kid neighborhood—Uptown, it's called, right?"

"I meant your other spy."

She blinked. "I don't have another spy," she said honestly. "I wouldn't want what happened to you occur again."

"Oh, really?"

She rolled her eyes. "As hard as this for you to believe, Hanso, I like kids."

"Didn't stop you from poisoning me."

"But it did stop me from going through with it. You don't know how valuable that vial was…and not just in the money-sense," she added. "I gave up a lot to get it."

"Like what?" I said sarcastically. "Killing someone?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry about your father," she said simply. "You better get over it, though. You're going to have to be in good shape to fight me." With that, she vanished.

Week 4

I didn't think that anything else can be worse than last week. I was wrong. I don't have that much time to write everything that happened (I'm really in a hurry) but I better try.

I was ordered to stay at home all week. Juliet actually came to see what was this all about – either Kanrik didn't say anything, or Master Jacques didn't want to tell anyone that my father died – but even I couldn't admit anything to her. "I'm feeling sick," I just said, which was completely true.

She bit her lip. "Okay," she said. "Just come back soon, okay? Class is pretty boring without you." She gave me a small smile and went away.

Mom isn't any better. Marie has been talking to her a lot, but other than that she just sleeps, eats, or sits in the kitchen table with her face buried in her hands. I've been reading Dad's one letter to us again and again. Now that I can think better, I sort of realize that Kanrik's right—maybe I shouldn't count my dad out. He might have survived. But then that could just be denial again.

I couldn't stand the idea of doing nothing, so I just began wandering around Brightvale. Then I started going to direction of the rich kid neighborhood—or Uptown, as Masila said. I guiltily realized I'd left Charlie without an update since the second week of the month, but things have been so hectic. I was extra careful to be sneaky, dashing from tree to tree like Hazel might. As nice as he is, I didn't want to get caught by Mr. Daley.

I scaled the wall to Charlie's house and crept inside. Like always, it was warm and welcoming, but something changed. Everything was more….tidy. Not to say that it wasn't tidy before, but Mrs. Daley had always put out some sort of 'neat mess': A few building blocks; a plate of cookie crumbles; a flower. Now, the curtains were heavily shut, I doubted that any form of nature would dare go live inside. I went in the kitchen, which is basically the only room I know. The rest of Charlie's house is a maze. "Mrs. Daley?" I called. No answer.

I shook my head and plunged into the house. I was not about give up now.

It only took two minutes for me to get hopelessly lost.

Everything was strangely cold; before, there was always a warm fire. I could've sworn somebody painted the mansion with a grey paintbrush. I was just about to give up when I heard the criticizing. It was in some sort of sitting room. I peeked through the door.

"Well, you've grown quite a lot, Charles," said a voice scornfully. The lady was a Wocky with graying hair. She wore a plum-colored dress and a choker (ugh!) and her lips seemed to be glued together. And another weird thing? Like Charlie's dad, every single thing that came out of her mouth seemed like a lie.

"Yes, Grandmother," Charlie said, in a monotone voice.

"A bit chubbier around the stomach, too." She huffed and turned to Mrs. Daley. "What have you been feeding him?"

Mrs. Daley raised her eyebrows and said respectfully, "The same kind of diet every boy his age has."

"Hmph. So it must be the exercise. Have you not been exercising?" the old lady interrogated, poking Charlie with her cane.

"Grandmother, I have a heart illness. I can't exert myself or-"

"You'll pop up your clogs. Yes, yes, I know about that," she said impatiently. "Still! That's no good reason for you to be lazy." I would've gotten mad at her, if it were me.

Instead, I saw Charlie trying not to laugh. "Yes, Grandmother."

"Straight back, lad!" she snapped suddenly, pointing her cane again. "You're not old yet."

"Yes, Grandmother."

"Hmph! All these 'Yes, Grandmothers'. Where's your sense of spirit and duty? Gone, I guess. William wasn't any better." Charlie's Dad turned red. "Still, I'd have hoped that you'd have inherited something from Catherine."

"Thank you," a spoiled voice said. It was Charlie's mother—Catherine, I guess. She was an Aisha with long, blond hair and lipstick stains on her mouth. Her green eyes were haughty and proud. Oddly, she was the only one who didn't have the 'everything she says is a lie' thing going on (besides Charlie and Mrs. Daley).

"Where are your playmates? Don't you have any friends?" the old lady prodded.

Charlie shrugged. "Hazel," he mumbled. "But she's, er, locked up at the moment."

"Hazel?" she said, in a dangerous voice. "You mean from the color family?" She whirled around at William. "How dare you! You did this on purpose, didn't you? You wanted that woman's _spawn _to become friends with him! You know she's a bad influence."

"Honey, as she now is called, has changed, Mother," William said. "She's the picture of a proper lady. So is her daughter."

"Bah. She'll always be that rebellious Trate girl to me." She turned to Charlie. "I don't want you hanging with some scrawny, bratty color girl, you hear me?"

Charlie wasn't laughing now. He glared at his grandmother. "I'm sorry, but that is something I cannot promise."

"Now, Charlies," his mother said in an angry tone. She stepped closer to Charlie.

"You've always raised me to be honest," Charlie protested. "How can I say I won't when I will?"

"Simple. You will never speak to that Hazel girl again," his mother said.

Charlie stared at her. "No!"

"Don't take that tone of voice with me, young man. Show proper respect to your elders."

"Of course, Mother, but you couldn't possibly forbid me to-"

"Charles, stop talking."

"She's my best friend-"

She slapped his mouth. My jaw dropped. My mom would _never_, ever slap me. I nearly choked. Unfortunately, that was the moment Charlie's eyes looked up and met mine. They widened and looked furtively at his relatives. But I was angry. Who cares if they saw me? I wanted to slap them myself!

"M-may I be excused, Mother?" Charlie asked timidly.

Catherine was about to refuse, when his grandmother said, "Oh, might as well. I want to return to my quarters anyway; I trust they are better than last time?"

"Oh, yes, Madam," Mrs. Daley said. She was a picture of serenity, but her eyes were angry. "I fixed it myself."

"Very good." The old lady trotted up the staircase.

Charlie wasted no time in dashing out and pushing me to the kitchen. "In, Hanso!" He locked the door. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough," I said. "You can't let them treat you like that! They're almost worse than Hazel's parents! And…your Dad just _stood _there."

"Never mind about that," he said hurriedly. "I'm used to it, all right? And I have Mrs. Daley. I'm fine."

"No, you're not," I said. "Come on! This is child abuse! Please say that with the hundreds of rules you rich kids have, there's at least _one _that prevents that?"

He shook his head sadly. "What happened to you last week?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

I looked down. "My dad's missing. I don't know if he's alive, or…"

"You're lucky," he said unexpectedly.

I stared at him. "What?"

"You actually miss your dad, and he'd miss you." He shook his head. "Whatever happened, Hanso, he's in a better place."

"Let me guess," I said, smiling slightly, "One of Mrs. Daley's sayings?"

"Yep," he said.

I paused for a bit, reflecting on what he said. It was a good answer, I admit. Whether he lived or died, he'd be better off than nearly freezing to death in that stupid mountain. His letter didn't say so, but I read in between the lines. I looked at Charlie and smiled. "Do you want to come to my house now?"

He hesitated. "Are you quite sure your mother will be okay with it?"

I pictured her slumped on the kitchen table. "She needs a distraction," I told him. "And she's fond of you."

"All right," he said, looking pleased.

A few minutes later, we were outside my house. "Um, let me go ahead to make sure," I told him. He smiled and nodded. I went to the kitchen tentatively. "Mom?"

She was looking better. Her light brown hair was brushed and flowed along her shoulders like a waterfall. She was dressed up okay, too—a major improvement from the last few days. But her eyes were still bloodshot, and had a dead look in them. "Yes, Hanso?"

"I brought Charlie. Is that okay?"

"Of course it is," she said, trying to smile. "People have been bringing food all week. It'd be nice to have someone who'd actually eat asparagus." We both chuckled, and I ran to fetch Charlie. "It's okay! Come on in."

But when he did come in, Mom's face turned from sweet to horrified. "Charlie, what happened?" she said. We both realized at the same time that the mark where his mother had slapped him was still showing. "Charlie?"

"Erm, nothing," he lied. "Just an accident."

"That's no accident, sweetheart. That's a slap." She bent down, so she was staring right into Charlie's eyes. When she does that, no one can lie to her. "Who did that?"

"My-my mother," he mumbled.

"Your mother?" Mom cried. She sounded shocked. "But…but that's not possible."

"It is, Mom," I confirmed.

"And what did your father do?"

"Nothing," I told her.

She closed her eyes. "Oh, this is all wrong." She shook her head, and for a moment she seemed about to have a breakdown. But when she opened her eyes again, they had lost their dead look. They had that kind but firm determination in them. Only then did I realized how much I missed it. "This is ending now," she said, walking out the house. We were both stunned.

"Wait! Mom!" I cried as we both ran after her. "Where are you going?"

"To talk to Charlie's parents," she said calmly, going to Uptown. I was almost sure that we would be stopped in the main gate; I had to be really sneaky to avoid Mr. Daley. To my shock, no one stopped us. She just marched in. Was he taking a break…or did he let us enter on purpose?

"Please, don't," Charlie begged. "I'm sorry, but I'd be in so much trouble-"

"I can handle that," she told him. I groaned inwardly. After dealing with things on my own for the most part, I had forgotten how interfering adults could be. She went to Charlie's house straight away and walked through the front entrance. The butlers and maids just leapt aside, taken aback at the interruption.

At the time, I was so freaking shocked that I didn't wonder how she could navigate everywhere so perfectly.

She turned through a few twists and turns, always choosing the right choice. Then she opened the doors to the sitting room which I was in earlier. Mrs. Daley seemed to have gone to the kitchen, so that left Charlie's parents. Both their jaws dropped when they saw who had burst in.

Catherine was the first one who recovered. "Who in Neopia are you?" she raged. "A tramp begging for scraps? The dump is in Meridell, thank you very much. Who let you in…?" she spotted Charlie. "You stupid boy!" she shouted. "What are you playing at? I'll have you whipped if that's what needs doing-"

"You'll do no such thing," Mom said, crossing her arms. "I demand to speak to William." What? I thought. How did she know his name?

"Pfft. Why? You think he's more charitable than me? I'm sorry to tell you, my husband is a complete oaf. And what's more, he couldn't possibly know such a peasant like yourself-"

"_Elizabeth?_" William choked out, managing to find his voice at last. "You're….you're back."

"You know this woman? But…how…"

"I will answer as soon as you finish blabbering," Mom snapped.

"But…you…he…what…" Catherine kept doing that for a while. When she realized it wasn't getting her anywhere, she shut up.

For a few minutes, there was only complete and utter silence. All the while, Mom was glaring at William. The fire crackled. The wind whooshed. The tension was killing me.

"Hello, little brother," Mom said finally. "Long time no see."

* * *

><p><strong>Yes, I left this at a cliffhanger. Which will not be answered for about two weeks. Please don't eat me! <strong>

**I've been dropping a few hints though out HJ, even up to his first year. I think a lot of you guys might have guessed, and I _think _one person got really, really close—**

**Kyanite Archer/Lucy (from the last review): "I would've ran away and started a new life somewhere." My reaction: :O **


	43. July at Age 10

**Fun fact: Like Hanso, I didn't know my mom's name either, going with her nickname instead. Then I saw her passport. After that, I began getting paranoid and even asked some of my aunts: "So what's _your _real name?" :P **

**Anyway, I think you guys have pretty much caught on to what Charlie's (and Hanso's) family 'theme' is, right? Basically, the British royal family. Probably inspired by me obsessively watching the Royal Wedding last year. Anyone catch the 'William and Catherine' thing? Though that's definitely NOT how I picture how the official couple acts like. I just wanted to use their names. :D**

**Also, I'm sorry to say that regular updates won't be ensured for awhile. I have about five projects that are due soon. In fact, I can only start guaranteeing regular updates starting March 16 (I'll try to update before that, though). **

The Month of Swimming (July) Age 10

Week 1

Liz.

Lizzie.

Elizabeth.

How could I not have caught that? Okay, I'll cut myself a bit of slack. Mom being a rich kid….well, it's a bit hard to believe. She's not like any of the girls I've seen so far here. But there were so many hints, and to be honest, it cleared a few things up: Why she always made me be polite to other people; how she didn't talk a lot other thieves besides Dad, Marie, and a few select friends; why she was fond of Charlie in the first place.

And why she ran away.

But let's back up here. I didn't have time to finish last week's entry—I'll write down the reason for that here, too. Where was I? Oh, yeah….

"Hello, little brother," Mom said finally. "Long time no see."

There was quiet again. Charlie and I stared at her, trying to digest what she just had said. Did she call William, Charlie's dad, _little brother_? But that's impossible. It would mean that…that she was a rich kid. And that we were cousins. I nearly choked on the word. _Cousins. _Charlie's awesome and all, but...well, he's a _rich kid. _To thieves, that's like a synonym for _helpless. _

"Little brother?" Catherine cried, making us all jump. The Aisha lady glowered at Mom. "How dare you? My husband has no sister. Like I said, you're but a tramp begging for scraps."

"Kate," William started, "I-"

"Don't call me by that ridiculous nickname!" his wife snapped. "And don't say anything either. You've done quite enough for today. I thought you hired extra security. What about those extra monitors that you were so enthusiastic about? We should have them sacked, with all the good they do. Allowing some…some peasant to come in here and claim that she was your sister. Stupid!"

Mom's face flushed. "You're right, it _is _stupid. That's why I left this awful place; and don't worry, I'll soon be going again. All I ask, Will," she said sternly, "Is for you to look after your son properly. After all the things we suffered, I can't believe you'd actually do this."

"Hey," William said, his voice lying again, "You don't have any right to talk to me like that. You left. And he's my son-"

"And my nephew. So you'll excuse me if-"

As they continued bickering, I saw Catherine slip away, muttering something like, "I'll prove this isn't true." I didn't think she was a threat, so I stayed. But seriously, if she wanted to know the truth, she should've asked me. Mom was being honest—and I felt awful about it.

Charlie was just about as stunned as I was. "Did you by any chance know anything about…this?" he said, gesturing at our fighting parents. I shook my head no. "I thought so," he sighed. "What luck, eh?"

"Not so bad," I told him, trying to cheer us both up. "We're like family anyway, right?"

He frowned. "It's not that I mind being related to you or your mother, Hanso. It's just that…don't you know what it means?" I blinked. What was the kid talking about? Before I could ask, the doors of the sitting room burst open a second time. It was Catherine again, along with the Charlie's grandmother. To my horror, I realized she was _my_ grandmother as well.

"Elizabeth?"

Mom turned around and froze. Her eyes widened. I've seen her face down the entire Thieves' Guild, a throng of Assassins, and Masila herself; and yet she never seemed as scared as she was now. She looked like…well, she looked like Violet did when she was arguing with her dad. As far as I knew, those conversations never go well. "M-Mother? What are you doing here?"

"That's not a very good greeting."

"You're right. It's a farewell. Come on, Hanso," she said, grabbing my wrist. "It was a mistake to go here anyway." She began walking to the door.

"Elizabeth!" Grandmother exclaimed.

Mom kept walking.

"Elizabeth, get back here or you'll be sorry!"

No answer. It was a stupid threat anyway; Mom was highly skilled in combat.

"Elizabeth Anne Windsor! Get back here!"

Mom whirled around. "You have no right to talk to me like that anymore," she told them coldly. "And that's not my name anymore, either. I'm married."

Grandmother's only response to that was glaring at me, as if it was my fault I existed. "You're not glad to see me," she said, with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "I suppose I should've expected that. You do know you're legally dead, right?"

Mom glared at the floor. "Exactly as I wanted it."

"As you wanted it?" William sneered, with the lying voice again. Oh, if only he'd stand up to his wife like that. "You left us! You never sent a word of your survival. We've given up—I got married, and—" As he kept blathering on, the pain in my ears hurt. Sometimes truth-speaking can be really annoying.

Apparently, Mom saw me. She glared at her brother.

"And on top of that-" William was continuing.

"Will, if you have to complain, _cut it out_ with that stupid accent," Mom snapped. "You're hurting my son's ears."

Both William and Grandmother turned red. "Oh, hurting your precious son's ears, are we?" Will snarled, but there was no 'lying' thing this time. I nearly sighed with relief. "I'm sorry, I forgot that you care about him more than us."

"Oh, it isn't that," Mom said. "He has the same talent as you."

For a moment, William raised his eyebrows. "He can't tell lies either?"

"And he can tell when someone is," Mom finished. She gave him a quick smile, but it vanished almost instantly. "Anyway," she said, collecting herself again, "It's time for us to go. I just wanted to give you notice about Charlie."

"But you can't leave," Grandmother said. She had a sly smile on your face. "You'll see the way, my dear. And when you do, I'll be here waiting. Catherine, dear, I'm afraid I'll have to intrude on your hospitality a bit more. That is, until my daughter can finally see sense.

"I doubt it," Mom muttered. She nodded at the gaping Catherine. "That's right; I am your sister-in-law. Your revered mother-in-law proved that right now."

"You….you…" Catherine couldn't even begin to find words.

With that, Mom swept out of the building, dragging me behind with her. I only had enough time to look back at Charlie. He had a sad expression on his face, but he gave me a smile and wave before he turned back to his bewildered family. I felt a pang of guilt. We meant to make things better for him, not worse.

Mom had been avoiding the topic all throughout the week. It got seriously annoying, especially when she said I couldn't visit Charlie anymore. If it weren't for 'Grandmother, Uncle, and Auntie' I'd be there no matter what I said. It wasn't a very happy few days for me—I got really moody. Can you blame me? Dad's dead, I realized that my mom was a rich kid, I'm related to evil psychopaths…Oh, Fyora. I just realized another thing. If I'm related to Charlie, that means I'm related to _Harry_ as well.

Everything sucked.

I walked in the classroom all day with a grumpy expression on my face. Juliet sat down next to me pretty quickly. "You're getting awfully angry lately," she noticed. "Anything the matter?"

Anything the matter? ANYTHING THE MATTER? I was prepared to give her my whole list of complaints—then stopped. This was Juliet; she didn't deserve me getting angry with her. She was just concerned, like always. "Yeah," I admitted. "But I don't think you can help."

"Why not?"

"It's kinda complicated," I told her.

"Hanso," a voice in the doorway said. Kanrik was there with his arms crossed. "I need to see you. Now."

"He didn't do anything!" Juliet said quickly.

"What?" Kanrik asked.

"Um, nothing," she said sheepishly. "I just thought he might be in trouble."

I smiled at her before I went talked to Kanrik. "What?"

He frowned at me. "You know."

"Know what-?" And then it hit me. "That my mom was a rich kid? Yeah, I know-"

"Don't say it here!" he cried, too late. A burst of thieves, seemingly out of nowhere, came on top of us.

"See? The little brat does know! Corrupted inside out!" someone snarled.

"Yeah. Him pretending he's important and all that. But what do we expect, eh? Blue blood and traitor's skin on him!"

"Remember what his mother said in the trial? 'No child would betray his family.' What's the proof that she never betrayed hers?" another demanded.

I bit my lip. So this was what my parents were trying to protect me from. I guess I can't really blame them anymore—it stung, to think that people had been making assumptions about me before they saw my face. I mean, it's bad enough for normal citizens to do that. They have a reason: We might steal from them. But to get those looks from other thieves, too?

"ENOUGH!" a voice yelled, and I realized it was Marie. Or, it seemed to be. A hood covered her entire face, leaving a shadow cast. She had the same disposition, though that didn't tell me much.

Mom was next to her, deathly pale but shaking with anger. "We resolved this years ago," she said angrily. "And you voted to keep me in the Guild."

"Only because Peter influenced us," someone jeered. "He's not here to save you now, is he?" Mom slapped him, right across the face. Immediately there were loud complaints, but Kanrik shut them up with a look.

"Come on," he said, gesturing for me, Mom, and Marie to follow.

I fell in step with the hooded lady. "Are you really Marie?" I asked her.

A chuckle came from beneath the hood. "Yes, dear. But I never, ever reveal my face in the presence of the Guild. They think that I'd end up a traitor, just like my sister."

We went to Kanrik's office. As soon as the door was closed, he told us, "I think we all need to talk. This has gone far beyond our control."

"And they're right," Mom said bitterly. "Peter's not here to charm the crowd anymore—if it comes to voting again, I'm sure I'll get kicked out."

"Not if I have anything to say about it. Anyway, Liz, it isn't your fault," said Kanrik. "A lot of it attributes to the spy, Sasha or Susan or whatever her name is, coming from the rich kid neighborhood. And that Hanso has been spending quite a lot of time there."

"They're my friends," I muttered.

"I know," Marie said kindly. "Please understand. I have no prejudice against rich kids, as you might have guessed when we visited Lady Hazel—I was just concerned about your safety." She looked at Mom. "Lizzie, I really think he should know the whole story now."

Mom glared at her, and then turned to me. "There's nothing much to tell other than the basic things I told you when you were eight. I told you that I loved my mother. That's true—then she became so controlling." She breathed out. "That's an understatement. My family, though it might not seem like it, is one of the more merciful ones. Their age limit for both boys and girls for the Tradition is twenty-one; or technically, the day someone turns twenty-two-and-one-day. But I hated it. I couldn't stand being forced to marry somebody. I got rid of my suitors by…uh, interesting methods." She smiled slightly, and then frowned again. "Then….then I decided I couldn't take it anymore. So I ran away."

"Wow," I commented.

"I made my way to Brightvale from Meridell. Your dad found me, Kanrik took me in, and long story short, I got accepted."

"That isn't what happened!" Marie protested.

"That's what happened in a nutshell," Mom said dryly. "He doesn't need to know the full story." Marie frowned at her. I knew she didn't agree.

"We have a problem," Kanrik said, shaking his head. "And the biggest one, I think, is the request for you to spy on them for us."

"What?" Mom snapped. "That's exactly why Peter left for Terror Mountain! To ensure I would never step foot in that awful life again!"

"Yet you did," Kanrik pointed out. "Without provocation." He hesitated. "Look, Liz, your family knows you're alive now. From what you told me, they're practically waiting for you to go and apologize, so you've given us an entry point. Might as well use it." Mom buried her face in her hands.

"That's not our biggest problem right now," Marie pointed out severely. "It's just part of it. You two, besides Master Serpent, are our most trusted and competent thieves."

"I'm ten!" I cried.

Kanrik shook his head. "You're the one who's always saying I shouldn't underestimate children." I hate it when my own words come back to haunt me.

"Anyway," Marie continued, "We have to find a way to beat Masila once and for all. The Guild was nearly crushed last time. Even if we survive this encounter, we have to ensure that she will never, ever come back." There was silence, and we all knew that there was just one solution. We'd have to kill her. "We already have an opportunity," she said. "At least, one that Masila herself proposed. A duel—either she wins the Guild, or she dies. And this should not involve our Guild leader. Sorry, Kanrik. You two have about the same skill, but I don't think that you can kill her. I can't either."

There was a pause. "Anyone have any ideas?" Kanrik said weakly. "Or anything they'd want to discuss?"

I shrugged. "Other than the creepy Yurble lady who framed me last month, no." I was only joking. But Marie gasped and stood up.

"This lady didn't have a pink handbag, did she? Or a cane?"

"Uh, yeah, she did," I told her.

"Sweet mother of Fyora," Marie said, pacing the floor. "This is wrong. All wrong! If they're working together we're finished."

"Nice take of optimism," Kanrik said sarcastically. "Who is she?"

Marie hesitated. "Even when you guys were friends, Kanrik, there were some things that Masila never told you. And one of them was her." She glowered at the floor. "Look, I don't think I should tell you exactly who she is. It's just…she's the closest thing that Masila had to a trainer. And the lady always favored her over me."

"Still, she's not much of a threat," I reasoned. "I mean, she's just an old lady!"

Marie bit her lip. "She has….powers. Eerie, strange powers that can be of great use, as well as a persuasive tongue-"

"What?" I shrieked.

"Yes," Marie told me. "She was a persuader, too." She looked at me desperately. "If you can, please get her notebook. It's usually stored in her pink handbag—and it can contain vital information for our survival."

"Okay," I said, a little frightened.

"Anything else?" Kanrik said weakly. "Good news. Please. Anyone?"

There was silence. Hannah had visited breifly last month and earlier this week, but all she had time to do was say "Wow! You're a rich kid!" and pat my head. I don't think she'd be much of help this time, although she reminded be I'm there whenever I need her. I tried to relax and let my mind do the work, just like I did when I was captured by Masila. Get everything out of your head—check. Focus on one thing only—yep, the problem pretty much got that covered. Then think. And think. And think….

_Blood is thicker than water, _Kayley once said to me.

"I have a bit of an idea, if anyone's interested," I said conversationally.

"What is it, Hanso?" Kanrik asked.

"Well," I said. "The stuff about my family got me thinking. Family itself is important for everyone, right? So, if Masila battles someone from her family-"

"She won't care," Marie told me. "I've faced her a million times. She doesn't hesitate taking what she thinks his hers, even for me." Darn. I was stumped.

"Then not you," Kanrik said suddenly. "How about Sam?"

"What?" Marie said, standing up. "You want me to risk my only son to fight some mad witch-"

"Who is your sister," Kanrik noted. "Out of everyone she's met, I think she holds the most personal attachment to him. If we picked him as champion, she might even refuse to fight. That would make them forfeit, and she would be forced to leave us alone."

"And if she doesn't refuse?" Marie said hysterically. "What then? She'll slaughter him!"

"Sam would be more capable than even me," he said. "I trained him once, albeit a few days. He showed some exceptional talent." Was it just me, or did Marie's gaze look guilty? Kanrik didn't notice. "Besides that, he knows how to use the guard styles. If he somehow manages to pull those two types of fighting together…he might be able to defeat Masila."

"But can he kill her?" I asked him. "That's what I want to know." To be honest, I was feeling a little left out.

"If he has to," Marie admitted. "He can sometimes be…as ruthless as his aunt. He just doesn't want to show it."

"Then ask him!" Kanrik said. "He's just about our only hope, Marie. You have to face that."

Marie let that sink in for a few moments. Her eyes filled with tears. "They're the only family I have left," she whispered. "No matter what, I love them. To think of them trying to fight each other…" she shuddered. "All right. I'll ask him. But that's all I can promise you—I don't think he'll say yes."

"Then convince him," Kanrik said. "Just this once, we need Sam. And might I add, we need him pretty desperately."

"All right," she said again.

Mom was silent for the whole time. Kanrik turned to her again. "Lizzie, I think you're going to have to-"

"I'll do it," she said.

We stared at her. "Really?" he said.

She looked at the floor. "I've…really made a mess of things, haven't I? Allowing Peter to go. Bursting straight into the neighborhood he'd been trying to keep me from in the first place. Allowing Charlie to come over a lot." She sighed. "Uptown is where everything started, and that's where I have to fix everything again." A sad little laugh came from her. "It's just…I don't know how."

"Don't worry, Mom," I said. "I'll be there with you this time." I tried to adopt Charlie's cheerfulness. "You'll see. It'll make all the difference."

Week 2

Of course, we couldn't go right away. Mom was really reluctant to swallow her pride and face her family again. It wasn't like we were going to live there, of course—more like hang out a lot and get some information. Part of me wondered if maybe that was wrong. Charlie's been my friend for years, now. I didn't have to spy on him, right? He's trust-worthy.

The rest of his neighborhood, on the other hand…I don't know. But I think I'll tell him the real reason why we're there. Hopefully that makes me feel less guilty. I had enough negative feelings; besides anger, fear, grief, bereavement…

"Hanso! You're getting distracted," Kayley snapped in one of our field trips. For once, we were partners again. I tried not to think about the last time that happened. Still, we've both become a lot nicer over the years. At least she wasn't scanning for guards to attack again. "Let's go to the wheat stall."

I stared. "But it's completely deserted, and the sacks of flour are way to heavy for us to carry anyway."

"I know," she said through gritted teeth, like she was insulted I doubted her. "But someone is tailing us." I tried to look behind me, but she squeezed my arm. "Nuh-uh. Sh'll know that we're aware of her following us. From the looks of her, she's a Master thief-"

"Not Masila?"

"No. Some old Yurble lady with a pink hand-bag—Hanso, are you okay?"

"Oh, Fyora," I groaned.

"Who is she?" Kayley said urgently. We twisted along the path. "Is she dangerous? Stupid question; she's a Master Thief, of course she's dangerous. But why? She's an old lady."

"I don't know," I admitted. "But Marie sure is afraid of her. She and Kanrik thinks she's a spy. I have to get her handbag."

Kayley raised her eyebrows. "You're going to steal a pink handbag? Do you know how ridiculous you, as a guy, would look carrying that?"

"Is that an offer on stealing it for me?" I said hopefully.

"Fyora, no," said Kayley, smirking. "It means I'll stay out of the way. I just _have_ to watch this!"

"But-but people will think I'm attacking an innocent old woman." She shrugged, not having an answer for that one. "You're no help."

"Your assignment, Hanso," she said sweetly.

"You could cut me a little bit of slack," I muttered.

"And why would I do that?"

'Because my dad just died' would be a good answer, but I didn't want to use it. None of my friends knew about that yet, least of all her. And since I knew that she recognized the signs of 'bereavement,' I've been trying to act as normally as possible. "You know what, forget it. I'll do this myself."

I sneaked near the old lady, concentrating on the handbag. It was confusing. I just couldn't ignore the fact that she was elderly—and for me, stealing from the elderly is a big no-no. It's just plain cruel, and they can't defend themselves. Plus, she kept moving around. I frowned, ran up to her, and grabbed it.

There was nothing. She didn't do anything. I just snatched the handbag and went. I couldn't believe my luck when suddenly-

A hand grabbed my arm in a tight grip. "Hanso," Brynn said, in a frustrated voice. Oh, no. I blinked, realizing something. The old lady kept moving, _leading _me to Brynn. She planned this! But what for? I wondered.

Brynn was still glaring at me, so I grinned at her. "I'm trying a new look."

She rolled her eyes. "Hanso, I really don't think it's your color." Well, she doesn't have to tell me that! I've had enough of pink ever since the whole camouflage incident. "Who did you steal it from?"

"Oh, so you're automatically assuming I'm stealing now?" I said, trying to sound hurt. I failed utterly.

"You _are _a thief," her annoying friend pointed out. "That's generally what thieves do."

Speaking of thieves…I turned around, wondering if Kayley was going to swoop in and save me. Apparently not. She was sitting on a sack of flour, looking at me smugly as if gloating that Brynn stopped my plan. I really hate her sometimes. I glanced at Brynn and sighed. She had a bit of disappointment in her face, as if she couldn't believe what I just did. The best way to get out of this, I thought, was to explain. "The old lady has something in the bag I need."

Brynn frowned. "What and why?"

"I can't say. It's strictly confidential." I was slightly fibbing about the last part—I know it'd probably a secret, but I didn't know what the secret itself was, besides that it had something to do with a notebook. To be honest, I was half-hoping that if I managed to bring the bag to Marie she would be able to tell me more about it.

"Hanso!" Brynn said impatiently.

I sighed, giving up. "It involves Kanrik, a lady called Marie, and the fact that those two think the woman I stole this from could be…" I looked around, making sure no one was eavesdropping. "A spy."

Violet snorted, and I glared at her. "Thief!" I heard someone call behind us, and we all turned around to see the old lady. She trotted up to us, heavily using her cane as support. But something wasn't right. She was practically running when she was leading me here. She…she was faking it. That crazy old lady was faking it!

"Yeah, she sooooo looks like a spy," Violet said, her voice thick with sarcasm.

"Believe what you will," I snapped, "But I am taking this handbag to Kanrik."

Violet laughed again in a mean way. "I don't think Kanrik, being the tough and masculine leader that he is, would appreciate a pink handbag."

I struggled to get freed from Brynn's grip – it was obvious there was no hope in convincing them to believe me – but she held on tight. She was frowning at me, too. It'd been a long time since I'd really, really tried to escape. She did one nice thing, though. She took the bag and opened it up, checking its contents. "It all looks fine to me," she said. But that's because she didn't know what she needed to look for. Before I could say anything, she gave the handbag to the old lady.

That did it. I struggled even harder, trying to get to her. "You don't understand!"

"Thank you, guards," she said to the girls. While they weren't looking, the old lady winked at me. Winked. At. Me.

"Okay, off to the dungeons," Brynn said sternly.

"Brynn, she's a spy!" I yelled, even though I knew it was of no use. She didn't believe me.

And it stung.

"She looked like it," Brynn said sarcastically as she locked me up. She even took away my lock picking materials.

So there I was, locked in jail for no good reason. I sighed disgustedly. If I waited here long enough, Kayley would bust me out—but she'd mock me a lot. I was so not looking forward to that. Not at all. And I still couldn't get over the fact that Brynn didn't believe me. I mean, I put my entire trust on her – and the entire Thieves' Guild's trust on me – when I told her where Kanrik's office was. Then this random old lady just marched in and trod on all of that.

Plus, I hated sitting still. It gave me time to think, and thinking meant remembering Dad. I took a few calming breaths and tried to think a way out of this one; but to be honest, I've sort of slacked off in my escape training since Brynn never seriously tried to lock me up. Kayley will never let me hear the end of it.

Then a voice called me. "Hanso?"

For a moment, I hoped that it was Brynn—that she came down like she did, once upon a time, and I'd explain everything to her from start to finish. I wondered how she'd react. Then I realized that the voice was a lot deeper than hers, and had a more playful but melodious quality in it. "Sam?"

"What did you do?" he asked me, shaking his head. "I saw Brynn go back to her patrol route with an unusually irritated expression on her face, and I figured that you had something to do with it. You disappointed her."

I shrugged. "I tried to steal from an old lady."

Sam raised his eyebrows. "Really? Honestly, Hanso, I never thought you'd do that sort of thing."

"She's mean!" I protested. He looked disbelievingly at me. "Are you here just to tell me that?"

"Your friend – that black Acara girl – is coming in to save you soon," he informed me. "I just wanted to know what was happening. Mum came to me last week with an urgent request, and I wanted to talk to someone who couldn't lie." He bit his lip. "So is it true? Has auntie…er, Masila escaped?"

"Yeah," I said. "She's offering to hold a duel-"

"Mom told me the details," he interrupted. He sat down on the floor. "I guess I should've expected Masila to try something like this. Something's a bit off, though." He frowned thoughtfully. "Mum said she was after her necklace; now, her motive seems to have changed completely."

"Maybe she's getting desperate," I said hopefully.

He snorted. "_Desperation is sometimes as powerful an inspirer as genius._"

I blinked. "What?"

"A quote from Benjamin Disraeli," he said simply. "Though I first heard it when auntie told me-" He shut up, realizing what he just said.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing," he lied sleekly. I would've believed him, if I wasn't a truth-speaker. After seeing that I wasn't buying it, he sighed. "You do know she stayed with my family for a few weeks, right? It was an awfully long time ago. I was…eleven, ten I think? It was near when my dad died." His face darkened slightly, but he quickly continued, "Anyway, Hanso, something doesn't add up. Masila always has hidden motives. Does she really want to fight Kanrik in a duel? Or is she after something else? We can't underestimate her-"

"Of course we can't," said a sharp, matter-of-fact voice. It was the old Yurble lady. Sam and I both stared at her. How the heck did she get in here? "I thought you would've known that by now, boy," she continued. "One does not underestimate the Mistress-of-Double-cross. She always has a plan, and I doubt that-"

"Excuse me, ma'am?" said Sam hesitantly. "You're kind of violating the rules. Civilians aren't allowed in the dungeons unless they are visiting relatives, in which case you'd need an appointment-"

"To Moltara with the rules!" the old lady snapped. Sam's jaw dropped. I think he finally began believing the part when I said that she was mean. "As I was saying before you rudely interrupted, you can't underestimate Masila because she always has a plan. It is not in her nature to fling desperate schemes at us."

"And you know this…how?" I asked.

"I thought her everything she knew," the old lady informed me in a calm voice. My eyes widened. Who the heck was this woman? "You don't know who I am, do you?" she snapped at Sam. He shook his head confusedly. "Bah. You should know more about your family history, boy. I am Morgana: Masila's aunt—your great aunt, though don't you ever call me that."

"That's it," Sam murmured to himself. "My family is completely messed up. And yes," he said, glaring at the old lady, "I do know you. I just didn't know what you looked like."

"Then a lot of good use all that you'd learned about me would've done if I had actually decided to attack you, yes? But I should've expected that. Your mother was always a soft-hearted ninny, always so very trusting."

"Hey!" Sam snarled. "Don't you dare talk about my mother like that."

Morgana clucked disapprovingly. "You're just like her, I fear. You aren't even using your persuasive voice. I had hoped you would be more like my other niece; but no matter. I shall take care of that afterwards."

"Afterwards? After what?" he asked, puzzled.

She rolled her eyes. "After we defeat Masila, of course. My little niece was always good at her mind games, but not good enough to beat me. Trust me, darling, I know all of her weaknesses. And I suppose your mother has told you about my gifts?" Sam nodded curtly. She smiled and held up a faded leather notebook. "The Ixi thief foolishly tried to steal it from me. As if a novice could actually manage that. Now, as foolish as this sounds, free him and _take me to your leader_." Then she shook her head. "Or rather, his leader. You've stupidly decided you want to be a guard, haven't you? There are so many things I must work on."

"Why would we do that?" I snapped.

She laughed; a cold, cruel one. "Dear, you're in hot water and you know it. Trust me: You can't beat Masila without my help. And I'm telling the truth." Darn. She was being honest.

"And why would you help?" Sam said suspiciously. "Mum always said that you favored Masila, not her."

Morgana pursed her lips. "I have my reasons. She is still my niece, and would've been great if it weren't for a fatal mistake on her part. She still could be. I am hoping to…rehabilitate her."

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," I said, shaking my head. "I doubt anyone could convince her that she shouldn't have betrayed Kanrik."

"Nevertheless, I still want to see her. Now, Samuel, be a dear and unlock the Ixi from his cage. Hanso, is it? Take me to your leader afterwards. We have much to discuss."

As soon as Marie caught sight of her aunt, she stood up and accidentally brought a vase crumbling down. She winced. "You certainly haven't changed much," said Morgana dryly. Marie flushed.

"Hanso, please tell me you haven't let someone else in that could damage the Guild's trust?" Kanrik pleaded. Morgana looked at me curiously, but quickly proceeded to tell the guild leader exactly who she was. Kanrik's expression turned from suspicion to shock. "You're Masila's aunt?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever visited her in the Mountain?"

"Dozens of times each year; until she left, of course."

"But….I don't know you. She never told me about you." He was frowning, and then aimed an accusatory glance at Marie. "Neither did you, until last week."

"For Marie, I believe my niece found it _uncomfortable_ talking about me," Morgana said with a smirk. "As for Masila…well, she has her reasons. Anyway, I'm here to offer my services."

"And what would those be?"

She smiled. "I have a bit of a talent," she told us. "Know this little notebook? It's the book of prophecies. Only I can read it; and so basically, I can tell the future." All our jaws dropped except for Marie's, who stood glaring at it.

"We already have Flynn and Caylis for that," I pointed out after a bit.

She laughed cruelly again. "Flynn? The little bird I see from time to time? I admit, he has a flair for prediction, but it's entirely philosophical. He does it to teach you a lesson, not to give you information. I assure you, there is no use coaxing anything from him. As for that poor little mergirl, well, all she really does is mope around. She can't control her predictions, either. For all she knows, at night she would be dreaming of a robbery at some ridiculous kelp restaurant. Only I can give you something worthwhile."

"Prove it," I challenged.

"I'll read you one, which concerns you and which is only partly finished," she told me sweetly. "And it ought to be interesting for you, dear. Here you are:

_Middle, she is in, but balancing never,_

_Forever more, she will sway and waver, _

_With friendships withering, gone, and dead,_

_Jealousy angered, fired, fed,_

_But she must choose in this weary dance;_

_Selecting, giving but one second chance."_

A chill crept up my spine, and I just knew that prophecy would be important. In the same way, I knew it was about my mom. "Okay," I said. "So you can tell prophecies."

"I'm also a master strategist," she said, smirking. "Though I do believe you have finally gotten something right. Time to start playing dirty, eh?" she commented approvingly. "Messing with Masila's emotions. You've certainly picked the right person to fight her."

"I didn't mean-" Kanrik began, then paused. We did mean to kill her—it's not like we're trying to do her any favors or anything.

"It could be better, though," she announced. She had a slightly crooked smile on her face. "And I believe I have an idea. Ask Masila to meet you next month."

"What?" Kanrik said in disbelief. "But we've never done that. I refuse to put my Thieves' Guild members in danger."

"Send that Master Serpent guy. She's still rather attached to him, I can tell. But know this: You can't be afraid to sacrifice lives."

"I don't want to sacrifice them needlessly," he snapped. "But fine, have it your way. What are we going to do with Masila once we get her? Tell her our choice, I presume."

"That," Morgana said, nodding. "And scaring her out of her wits."

Week 3

"Has anyone seen Flynn?" Master Jacques asked. He had a worried expression on his face. Even though most of the time he acted annoyed with the bird, I'm pretty sure he liked it. After all, he was feeding Flynn crackers while Razors almost beat himself up with a magical stick.

Juliet slouched a little in her seat, as if wishing to hide. That didn't go unnoticed. "Yes, Miss Juliet? Do you know what happened to that wretched Pawkeet?"

"Well, uh…" she stammered, twirling a lock of her hair."He was bored. And he kept chirping at me and looking with those sad cute eyes. He asked me to, um, loosen the cage door a little…and…I…" she gulped. "Let him out?" Julius face-palmed.

"_What?_" he shrieked. She fidgeted nervously in her seat. "Do you know what could have happened to him? For all we know, he could be someone else's fried meal now."

"He's a smart bird," she murmured. "I think he knows what he's doing."

"You missed the key word," Jacques snapped. "He's a _bird. _He's completely crazy!"

"So you're saying that Petris are crazy?" I questioned, redirecting his attention. Juliet smiled at me gratefully. "Maybe I should tell Master Funders that." Master Funders was a _huge _Petri, and one of our fastest thieves.

Jacques glared. "Now look here, Hanso-"

There was a knock on the door, and a hooded lady came in. At first we all panicked and thought it was Masila- then we realized that the cloak was a sky blue. It was Marie. "I never take off my cloak in the Thieves' Guild," she explained again. "I need to talk to Hanso."

"What has he done now?" Jacques said, exasperated.

"He didn't do it," Juliet said quickly. "I, um, I did! What did I do again?" Julius frowned at her. I smiled slightly. She was willing to take the blame of anything I did, not minding the cost.

Marie laughed. "He didn't do anything. I just have a…an interesting piece to show him."

"Oh." Juliet looked relieved.

"Is it something to do with…?" Jacques asked her, and then trailed off. He was wondering if it was something to do with my dad.

He knew about what happened, of course, and I think he felt guilty about it. Kanrik told him he could go on the mission if he wanted to, but it had to do with the sea and for some reason Jacques refused to go near water unless he had to. I had half-heartedly told him it wasn't his fault, and then begged him not to tell anyone from class. I was especially worried about what he might tell Kayley. But he kept his promise.

Marie shook her head, crushing my hopes. Then she nodded. Then she shook her head again. "Well, it depends on how you look at it," she said. "Anyway, may he be excused?"

Jacques sighed. "I suppose so. Keep a look out for Flynn, will you?"

I sat on her living room couch. "What do you want to show me?" I asked, curious. This was the first time an adult ever did that before. I guess I wasn't enthusiastic as I could have been – I'd rather have news of my dad more than anything – but I was definitely fascinated.

Marie ran her fingers through her hair, finally putting the cloak down. "Things are getting desperate," she admitted. "More so, now that I realize I'm teaming up with my aunt."

"What's so bad about her, anyway?" I asked.

Marie shook her head. "To be honest, I don't actually know. Oh, her comments are hurtful, but there's more to it than that. She knows the future, and she really can use it against you. The one thing you should remember, Hanso, is that though her prophecies come true, they don't always go the way you expect them to." She smiled slightly. "Once, she predicted I'd be kicked out of the Thieves' Guild for breaking the rules. I became very obedient to her after that. Well, it did come true…" Marie said that wistfully, looking at the picture of Sam's dad. "I broke the rules, and I never regretted it."

"Yeah, not that I'm not interested, but where is this leading to?"

"I think I know my aunt's plan. This kind of shock, especially about family, can be…traumatizing, to say the least. I know you feel awful because of your dad, but in a way, you probably feel worse about your mom being a rich kid." She gave me a sad smile. "I've noticed."

I looked down. "It's not that I have anything against rich kids. You know that. It's just…my mom kept this secret from me. I know she did it to save me and stuff, but…do I really know her at all? I didn't even know her real name!"

She shook her head. "We can't afford to let you think like that, Hanso. We need all of our best thieves focused and ready for everything. That's why I disagreed with your mother's choice about not telling you what really happened."

"There was more to it than her running away, right?" I asked. She nodded. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

She shook her head regretfully. "I promised her I wouldn't." I sighed. "But I never told her I couldn't show you…" she continued, producing her crystal ball. My eyes lit up. "I suggest you start from the beginning. I can't take you myself, or she'll get suspicious. Just think about your mother, and the crystal will offer you choices on where, or when, you should go."

"Okay," I said, taking the glass ball from her. I grinned nervously. "I guess it's time for me to meet my mom."

* * *

><p>It felt a little weird, going into the crystal ball without Marie guiding me. At first all I could comprehend in the world was this swirling, thick cloud of thoughts, threatening to suffocate me. Then I focused, picturing my mom. It wasn't hard; I saw her every day, after all. I concentrated on her long, brown hair, her honey-colored eyes; how fierce she was in battle; the way she took care of me and sang me to sleep sometimes; and how sad she's been lately, even though she tried not to show it. That's always how I pictured her.<p>

For a second, the crystal orb seemed to laugh at me. And then the fog lightened, and I was standing in a courtyard in Meridell. A seven year old girl was grinning at her new present, a skipping rope. Then I blinked. The seven year old girl was Mom! Oh, that was so wrong. I couldn't call a seven year old girl 'mom,' even though it was all in my head. I decided to call her Lizzie until the part when she really did become my mom.

Lizzie smiled at her skipping rope. "New birthday present, Liz?" the four year old Kacheek asked. I guessed it was William. He looked a little wistful. "Mind if I give it a try?"

She laughed lightly. "You can have the first go, Will." She handed him the toy.

His eyes lit up. "Thanks!" He began counting, rapidly counting up to sixty-five in just the first minute. I raised my eyebrows, slightly surprised. I couldn't believe this athletic little rich kid could be my chubby, spoiled uncle now.

Lizzie grinned. "Betcha you can't move while skipping!"

"Can too!" William protested. He began hopping forwards, right into the garden. Just before he was about to count to a thousand-

"William Arthur Philip Louis Windsor!" a voice yelled. "What in Neopia do you think you're doing?" William stumbled, and then fell into the mud. My grandmother, younger-looking but still every bit as scary, went right up to him. "And you got mud on your clothes, too."

"It's not his fault, Mom," Lizzie protested. "I encouraged him. And he didn't fall until you talked to him. And-" She got slapped on the mouth.

My jaw dropped. I watched as Lizzie's lips turned slightly red. She didn't cry, but her eyes were glistening. "Don't speak unless you're spoken to, young lady," grandmother scolded. "As for you, William, you're staying in your room for a week."

"No," Lizzie shrieked. "I made him trip! It's all my fault!"

"Really? William, did Elizabeth really trip you?"

William obviously didn't want to, but his sister gave him pleading looks. He looked uncomfortable. "Uh…yes?"

He got slapped in the mouth as well. "No lying. And as we all know, William, you can't lie to save your life."

"It's not fair!" Lizzie burst out. "Why can't-"

Grandmother held up her hand threateningly again, silencing Lizzie. When she was satisfied Liz wouldn't talk anymore, Grandmother replied, "That's just the way our world works." She grabbed William by the collar and dragged him back in the house, leaving Lizzie to stand alone in the garden.

She stared hard at the ground. A tear dropped in the grass. "Then maybe I don't want to be a part of it," she muttered.

* * *

><p>I flashed around eleven years later, when Lizzie was nineteen. She and Grandmother were in front of this huge place I didn't recognize, but it had the name "Madame Belldame's Academy for Proper Young Ladies." William stood with them, though a little away, too. Lizzie looked disgusted. "Mother, I don't want to go there!"<p>

"You're behaving like a child," Grandmother snarled. "You have to go there, Elizabeth. You have driven every single suitor you had away. The last one was crying!" Briefly, I wondered how she did that.

"He was a jerk," Lizzie protested.

"So? You still need to get married! This academy comes in highly recommended, and we'll find you a husband in no time by the end of the year. You'll even meet some charming young gentlemen when they invite a few over to dance; and it doesn't hurt that the academy will keep you with proper folk." My jaw dropped when I realized they were talking about the Tradition.

Stupid of me not to piece it together before, really. I just…I never thought that Mom would be affected by the Tradition. She wouldn't have stood it. But then I remembered the person I was watching currently wasn't Mom. It wasn't even technically Lizzie, yet. It was Elizabeth, and I had to wait a while before I see what really happened.

"I don't want to get married," Lizzie muttered.

"Don't be ridiculous. You'll get sent to a hard labor community if you don't."

"Ladies, please come to the dining hall for the official welcoming ceremony!" a voice rang out. Lizzie groaned.

"Better run off now, Elizabeth," my grandmother said awkwardly. "Do your best, now. And….good luck." She patted her daughter on the shoulder, and then headed back to her carriage. Lizzie looked back at her mother with surprise, and then shrugged and turned to William. He had been watching them silently. "Will…"

"I know, I know. You'll come back soon."

"I'm getting the jitters."

"Really? Fearless older sister is getting the jitters?" They both chuckled. Then William grabbed Lizzie's hand, and did something weird with it. It was like he was pressing certain parts of her arm. Lizzie began to relax. "I wish I had told you how to do this before."

"Nah. You're better at it than me." Lizzie grinned. "And I heard you have to be real careful or the person you do it to could be forever paralyzed. Let's face it, I'm not exactly the most careful person you know, am I?"

"No," he admitted. "But I'll miss you." He hugged her.

"Hey, it's only for one year. Then we can go back to scaring suitors!"

"And after that?" William prompted. He frowned at her. "That's always where your story ends."

"I'll do something," Lizzie assured him. "I can't just spend my whole life with Mother and Father looking after me. I'll be all right." She gave him a sad smile. "Good-bye, little brother. Till next time?"

"Till next time," he agreed. Then he went towards his mother in the carriage.

* * *

><p>Lizzie still looked about the same age, and we were definitely still in the academy, but it was the middle of the night. She treaded silently through the school halls. I was slightly impressed. Even when Mom hadn't had any training yet, she was still pretty stealthy. Then she gently pushed a few double-doors that led out to the balcony.<p>

The moonlight was pretty, shining like a silver orb. Lizzie breathed in, and then exhaled deeply. I wondered how long she had to stay cooped up in the academy without a glimpse of any moon or sunlight. A long time, I thought, if she had been enjoying the silver glow this much.

"Couldn't take it anymore either, could you?" said a voice. Lizzie jumped and took out a knife she had been carrying. "Oh, wow. I knife. Real classy. I wonder how you snuck in with that thing?"

"It was disguised as a make-up kit," Lizzie snapped. "I guess you're going to tell right now."

"Nah, 'Sokay. It's the same with me. I won't tell if you won't."

For a moment, Lizzie relaxed. "Who are you? _Where _are you?"

"Up here." Lizzie looked up to find an Usul girl sitting on a branch. She had dark hair tied in a bun with most of the strands falling out. Her eyes were the color of honey. For a second, I thought she looked kinda familiar. Weirdly, she was holding a frying pan. "This is my choice weapon," she said airily, holding it up. "Oh, I'm Grace, by the way. Your name?"

"Lizzie," she replied.

"No way! That's way too cool a name to be a rich kid's."

"Well, it's actually a nickname. My real name is Elizabeth. But I liked to be called Lizzie."

"Lizzie it is, then," Grace said in a final way. Then her eyes widened. She grabbed Lizzie's arm and yanked her down. A security guard went out to the balcony, scanning for people. His expression was so scary I was relieved that I was invisible. Luckily, Lizzie and Grace were hiding in the trees. He looked around when more time, and went away. "You've gotta watch out for them," Grace explained when they could breathe again. "Their worse than…well, anything. I know the schedule."

"Whoa," Lizzie said. For a while, they sat in a comfortable silence.

Grace said finally, "So? When's your due-date?"

"The day I turn twenty-one," Lizzie said, groaning. "March first. Two more years. When's yours?"

"Eighteen," she said. "I'm seventeen right now. So I'm guessing you're nineteen?"

"Two years older," Lizzie confirmed. "Yeah. But I don't want to be married. Ever feel like you're-"

"-Trapped in a world where people don't understand you, think of you as some sort of freak? Yeah." Grace smiled. "Sometimes I think about giving in. You know, being on of those real proper ladies. But I know if I do, I'll always be screaming in the inside. At least I'll have my family to help me; and I'll get betrothed to someone nice."

"Really?" Lizzie looked doubtful.

Grace sensed the suspicion in Lizzie's voice and straightened up. For a moment she looks slightly angry. "My parents love me," she said simply. "Even if I have to go through this stupid Tradition…even if they try to change me…they do. I know it."

"Mm," said Lizzie. She didn't have that much to say to a remark like that, but I had a feeling she thought what I was thinking right then: If they loved her, why did they try to change her? Why give her a suitor at all? "You sleepy?" she asked.

"Nope." Grace sighed. "I've always been a late sleeper. But I'm exhausted—and I guess you would be too." There was silence, and then she said hopefully, "Ya know, you do have nice hair. Do you know how relaxing it is to have it braided? Or bobbed? Or different styles…"

Lizzie laughed. "You didn't strike me as a hairdresser."

"Trust me," Grace said with a grin. "There's a lot I can do with those long locks of yours."

* * *

><p>Lizzie is still nineteen, though she looks a little older. Her hair is in a braid. She, Grace, and a few other girls were in a ballroom, all dressed up. Grace and her look uncomfortable. "All right, ladies," said the headmistress. She was a Uni with full, red lips and a threatening cane. "Let's see how you can dance with the young gentlemen. As you know, they can be a bit…rowdy. Remember the rules on what a young lady should always be. Respectful. Obedient."<p>

"Bored," Grace muttered.

"So, if you please, match up with the boys here." Lizzie and Grace are immediately separated. I think by this time, everyone knows how much trouble they can cause together. Grace gets this brown-haired, handsome-ish person. He had a suggestive smirk on his face. Grace rolled her eyes.

Lizzie, though, got this shy-looking Nimmo with black hair. He holds out his hands awkwardly, and it's pretty clear that 1. He's nervous 2. He did NOT want to be here. Lizzie smiled—she liked him. The music started, and they twirled and waltzed around. She's a pretty good dancer. He's decent, when she's leading.

"So, what's your name?" she asked. He looked startled at being addressed. She laughed. "It's common courtesy to talk while dancing."

He stepped on her foot. "Sorry," he apologized. "I concentrate on one thing at a time…and dancing…er…."

"You're not very good at it, are you?"

"I'm not good at a lot of things."

"How about picking girls?" she asked him. "You're expiry date is coming up, huh? That's why they sent you here?" She did her best to make him feel comfortable and gave him a small smile. He relaxed and nodded. "I don't know why. You're pretty cute."

"Too quiet," he said. "They think I'm mute." He smirked. "And what do girls want than a husband that gushes over them?"

"A kind one," Lizzie said. "Like you."

The dance ended, and they both bowed to each other. "Pleasure meeting you…what's your name again?"

"Simon Banks," he said. "It was a pleasure in meeting you, too…"

"Elizabeth Windsor, but I want to be called-"

"Lizzie." He smiled. "I know." He kissed her hand and left.

* * *

><p>"This is crazy," Grace said.<p>

"Shh!"

"I mean it, Liz. We are sneaking out the day before graduation. I mean, what's the point?"

"The point is that we won't get betrothed. Instead of giving us our diplomas, the academy will expel us. They wouldn't want to admit that two girls actually succeeded in getting out when no one's ever done it before."

"Have you seen the security?" Grace accused.

"No, but you have. Come on. I need you to help me. We can go through this—together. And you'll see your family a whole lot sooner, won't you?" Grace sighed, knowing that she was beaten. "Let's go."

Grace was right. The security was scary—I doubt even Brightvale castle had that kind of line-up. Every few seconds the girls had to duck under a couch, or pretend to be statues. But they kept going. They were getting closer to the exit, to the huge entrance hall that let to freedom.

They were there.

I crossed my fingers hopefully. Lizzie slowly turned the knob-

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! _It was locked. The stupid door was locked, and I couldn't believe how Lizzie miscalculated that there would be no alarms on the thing. Immediately, guards began pouring at all sides, but they haven't seen Lizzie and Grace yet. They shrieked and began running down a hall.

Then Lizzie saw some sort of alcove and slammed Grace against it; for a bit they were hidden from sight. The guards ran past, thinking that they had sped up to the other side of the hallway. "Crazy," Grace muttered. "It won't distract them for long. Now what do we do?"

"What, you're asking me?"

"You _are _the one who thought about the plan."

Lizzie looked around the hall, desperately trying to find something she could use. Then she saw it. Tapestries. She pulled them down from the wall. "What the heck are you doing?" Grace said in disbelief.

"Knot them! Braid them! Just like you do with hair."

"What? But-"

"We need to make these into rope. Quick!" Without a word, Grace began lacing the tapestries together. I can't believe how fast she did it. It was instinct, and within a few seconds she was done, a coiled rope at her feet. "I think this will hold. Now all we have to do is-"

"There she is!" It seemed like hundreds of them were trying to find them now. Then it hit me. There _she _is. They thought only one of them tried to escape.

Lizzie must've realized this too, because she told Grace, "Go on. I'll hold them off and-"

"You can't, Liz," Grace interrupted. "You're fast, but not _that _fast. They'll capture you for sure. I'll do it." Before Lizzie could protest, Grace had slung the rope on a branch near a window and pushed Lizzie out. She barely clung on.

"Why?" Lizzie pleaded.

Grace rolled her eyes. "Look, it's just for one day. I doubt that would make much of a difference. And besides, I have a better reputation than you. They'll go easy on me. Need I remind you, Lizzie, that _you_ made the plan." She grinned. "I'm not going to make it easy for them, though." She held up a frying pan that she had been concealing. "I'll let them see just how good I've gotten with Home Economics." With that, she ran.

Liz took a deep breath and slipped down the rope.

* * *

><p>"W-What? You can't possibly…No! I refuse!"<p>

"It's not your choice to make, Elizabeth," her father, my grandfather, said. It was the first time I've ever seen him. He was a brown Kyrii with a tired expression on his face.

"But how? Why?" She looked desperately from her parents to her brother…to Simon. She looked at him pointedly. "You can say no, right? You haven't used up your choices yet?"

He shook his head. "I still have all of my three choices intact."

"So use them! You can say no three times, neither your parents nor mine can force you to-"

"We didn't force him," grandmother said. Her arms were crossed. "He said he was a friend of yours, and that he met you in the academy. He asked for your hand. We thought that marrying someone nice would appease you, Elizabeth."

"I don't want to get married at all!"

"Don't be ridiculous. Do you want to get sent off in a hard labor community?"

"No!" she yelled. "I'm tired of being controlled. Why do we have to suffer like this? Why does the stupid king even make this law?"

Everyone gasped. "Elizabeth," grandfather said warningly. "The king does not like to be called stupid."

"He isn't even here!"

"Walls have ears, my dear," grandmother snapped. "You've just turned twenty years old today. It would have all been fixed and done after your graduation if you haven't come a day early. You're expelled, you know."

William chuckled until grandmother shot him a glare. He shut up.

"In any case, it doesn't matter anymore. Our goal in sending you to the academy was to find you a suitor, and here we have one that you can't scare away because he truly knows you."

Lizzie glared at her, and then looked at Simon pleadingly. "Please. Please say no."

He looked down. "I don't want to."

That was the last straw. "You're…despicable. All of you!" She whirled away and ran to her room. She threw herself on her bed.

* * *

><p>Judging by Lizzie's clothes, it was still the same day. But it was night; nearly midnight, actually. Slowly, Lizzie eased herself off of bed. Her hand was on her forehead, as if she'd been thinking about something. She grabbed a worn leather bag and put a few clothes and coins in it, and then went over to her desk and wrote a note.<p>

She grabbed her blankets and began weaving. Not as skillful as Grace, but sturdy enough. She tied it to her balcony, and once again, slipped downwards.

* * *

><p>I jerked away from the crystal ball. "Is that it?" I asked Marie, dazed.<p>

She chuckled. "Oh, no, darling. That wasn't even half of it. Unfortunately, we are out of time…come sometime next month. Did you see what you needed so far?"

"So far," I agreed. "I haven't seen Dad or you yet. Just her old rich kid life." I hesitated. "What happened to Simon? And Grace?"

Marie pursed her lips. "I'm afraid I don't know. Your mother had completely cut ties with her old life when she married Peter. But perhaps you can mend a few when you go to Uptown next week, right?"

Week 4

Mom was nervous the whole way to Uptown. She kept fidgeting, looking up, looking down, looking anywhere but straight ahead. I understood, now, why Dad wanted to keep her from this. She wasn't angry anymore, not so much as to barge in and yell at her old family. She was simply lost. I grabbed her hand like I used to do when I was a little kid, and she smiled faintly.

Charlie was the first one to see us. He ran out of his mansion. "Hanso! You came back."

"Of course I would," I said, giving Charlie a playful shove. "What, you thought I would've run away?"

"No, no. But things are getting a lot more…complicated." He smiled nervously at Mom. "Hi…er, Aunt Elizabeth."

"Lizzie," she corrected. "Aunt Lizzie."

He grinned. "Nice to meet you, Aunt Lizzie. Um, Grandmother, Father, and Mother are expecting you."

She winced. "Oh, Fyora…"

"Mom, it's okay. Just go up to them and say-"

"I'm sorry?" She shook her head in disgust. "No, I can't tell them that. I'm not sorry. If I couldn't have run away, I would've killed myself."

Charlie and I turned pale. She was scaring me. "Mom, please," I begged.

She looked at me, her eyes glistening. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I just…" She shuddered. "I suppose I will have to say something, though I'll just improvise. Come on." With that, she strode confidently back to Charlie's house.

He stared at her, and then me. "I've never had cool relatives before."

"You have a whole branch of them now," I told him. "My dad has family too. They're gypsies. If they ever come here, I'll tell them you're family and welcome you with open arms."

"Would they really?"

"Heck, they'd welcome you even if you weren't family. And of course there's my mom, who already has."

"I still can't believe that she really is _the _Elizabeth."

I blinked. "Wait. There are stories going on about her?'

"Well, yes. Going on for years, actually, though I always thought it was just a rumor when they said there was _one _rich kid who didn't follow the Tradition. It seemed impossible, but now…Firecracker would like to meet her, I think." He had a sly grin on his face, but I had a feeling he wouldn't tell me why. We followed my mom.

Immediately, I knew there was something wrong. "Hold up," Mom snapped. "I just came here to see you guys. I didn't—I don't want anything!"

"Still, if it happened the way you told us last time, then really, it's all yours," said Grandmother with a smirk. "You got married on your birthday, you said—the last day that the Tradition would be valid. And you got your father's blessing-"

"Where is Father, anyway?" she said, looking around.

"Dead," William snapped. She looked as if she had been slapped, and for once my uncle knew he had gone too far. "Sorry. One of the last things he said was that he loved you."

"He did, didn't he?" said Mom shakily.

"What's going on?" I asked.

Grandmother glowered at me again. "I was just explaining. Your mother married on the day of her birthday; apparently, she talked to her father before then. And besides that, she did the Ribbon Ceremony 'just for fun,' although it is still binding. Therefore, she _did _complete the Tradition." She smiled at Mom in a sickly sweet way. "And therefore, the family fortune is yours."

**So, yeah…I got a bit obsessed with the lines in Week 3. Hopefully it didn't confuse you. :) And yeah, maybe the flashback part was a little long. Sorry about that. The flashbacks were actually meant to go in a different fic so it wouldn't interfere with HJ, but then you'd be required to read that to make any sense of the story.**

**This turned out a whole lot longer than I planned. I did have something to emphasize, though. :P **


	44. August at Age 10

**LONG author's note, but important! **

**I did have something to emphasize in this chapter (causing it to be super long). Chances are that a lot of the future chapters are going to long, due to the fact that this storyline is very important to the main story, it has a LOT of events (and not much room to spread out), and I planned it a lot. **

**I'll be revising a few chapters from the beginning of HJ (probably a bit of the first few years). I guess you can argue that Hanso could've had sloppy writing back then because, well, he was seven (reeeally hard to write in the POV of someone that young), but it's just been bothering me. One of my favorite stories, "The Princess Formula," is kind of doing the same. The writer had completely rewritten her story, and updated after three months. **

**I'm pretty sure that will annoy you guys, so I'm NOT going to do that because 1) I've been waiting to do this storyline since forever 2) You guys probably want to know what happens to Lizzie and Hanso (I hope…) 3) Not all of the chapters were that bad—just the early years, and they can be easily fixed in the week 4) I don't think you guys would like reading 44 chapters all over again just for the new hints. So, what I am going to do is rejuvenate the chapters I want to change (and really, they could be ANY chapter) as I go along and then put it in a future A/N which parts you might want to read over again. **

**Just wondering, how many of you make the background black when reading? I do. For some reason, it helps me read (If you don't know what I'm talking about, check the upper right hand corner of the page—below the ad—and press 'Dark'). **

The Month of Hiding (August) Age 10

Week 1

Well, my life officially sucks.

As soon as Mom heard that we were rich – _rich _– last week, she just turned around and bolted out the door with the rest of the family staring after her. Then they noticed I was still in there; obviously, that got me in the center of attention, and not the kind I liked. "Uh, hey," I said awkwardly. "Sorry about my mom walking out. She…uh, she does that." Then I ran after her, too.

She didn't go far, just near the main square near a plot of trees. She paced back and forth, muttering, "Sweet Fyora, what have I done to deserve this?"

"Mom?" I said hesitantly. "Are you okay?"

"No, I am not okay! I can't…the family fortune is _not _mine. Do you know what the Thieves' Guild is going to say about this once they found out? Heck, even Kanrik will start getting stony…."

"Then we won't let them know," I told her soothingly. "Come on, Mom. We can't just keep running away every time there's a shocking announcement, no matter how tempting it is." I hesitated, not wanting to let on how much I already knew about her past. "Isn't there someone you liked from the rich kid neighborhood? A friend or something, maybe?"

"Just one," she admitted. "But she's probably still in Meridell."

Oh. I hadn't considered that. "Well, how about William…um, Uncle William? He seemed pretty cool."

"He used to be. There's a difference, Hanso."

I sighed. Obviously, I couldn't use Grandmother as an example. "Isn't there anyone you missed from your old life? Anyone at all?" Mom shook her head stubbornly. Just then, a familiar old Gnorbu wearing a checked apron came into view behind her. Mrs. Daley was holding a bouquet of flowers—but she dropped them when she saw Mom. Since Mom's back was still turned, she didn't see her yet. I grinned. "Are you sure, Mom? No one at all?"

"Hanso," she said exasperatedly. "Just about everyone here is spoiled and lazy, excluding Charlie, of course. No, they're just a bunch of brats." Mrs. Daley crossed her arms and winked at me from behind her. I had to stifle a laugh. "There is not one person that I'd care a whit about-"

"Well! That's gratefulness for you!" Mrs. Daley scolded from behind her, beaming with amusement.

Mom straightened up, and slowly, a small smile spread across her face. "Mrs. Daley?"

"Why don't you go see for yourself?" she asked. Mom grinned, turned around, and squealed in delight. "Come over here, child! Mrs. Daley needs a hug." The two women embraced, both near tears. "My oh my, you've grown up since you've left us, little Lizzie." She winked at me again. "And raised a pretty charming son. I knew he was yours the moment I saw him."

"Wait. You knew?" Mom said, staring.

"Of course, dear. What other thief would say 'please?'" she said, chuckling. "Besides, he looks so much like that good-looking young man you introduced me to a long time ago. Peter, wasn't it? Where is he now?"

Mom's smile faded a bit. "Gone."

Before she knew it, Mom was wrapped in Mrs. Daley's hug again. "You poor thing," she said softly. "Is this why you've come back to us? Do you need help?"

"No," Mom said, breaking away. "If I needed help, there are a few…friends I could turn to. I wouldn't go back her." She turned around again. "I have a job to do."

"And does this job including bowing and scraping to your mother all over again?"

Mom flinched. "Partly."

"Well, then I suppose you should start now, yeah?" the old Gnorbu coaxed. "Just head on back there and apologize. I'm guessing you didn't start off very well."

I grinned sheepishly. "Yeah. But I guess we have a reason to freak out."

"What happened?"

"They told us…" I hesitated, but Mom gave me a nod. "They told us that Mom technically followed the tradition by marrying on the date of her twenty-second birthday and performing this…Ribbon Ceremony?...oh, and getting permission from Grandpa…so the family fortune is hers." I gulped. "And technically, we're rich."

Kayley will _never _let me hear the end of this.

Mrs. Daley was unsurprised. "Isn't that good news?"

"Mrs. Daley!" Mom said with reproach in her voice.

"Sorry, darling," she said, giving Mom a squeeze. "I'm just glad to have you here back with me. I didn't want you to leave so soon. Besides, your nephew needs you. Actually, the whole neighborhood needs you." She shook her head. "Of all the shenanigans I've seen through the years, I've never see ones as bad as when you left. You heard about the fire a few years ago?"

"Yes," Mom admitted. "Charlie was trapped and Hanso went to get him. I couldn't believe it. He had gone to save his own cousin before they even knew who each other were…that's when I made up my mind that they can be friends." She straightened up. "To be honest, I almost revealed myself then, going to offer some help while the house gets rebuilt. But…I don't live the way they do anymore, and lucky another lady came and volunteered."

So. Brynn's mom had bought me a couple of years from finding out the truth. I am eternally grateful.

"I was in the marketplace," Mrs. Daley sighed. "Buying things for their little gala. If only I had stayed at home. Ah well, I suppose that's how you knew how to find the place, huh? And of course, that tradition that every house must be designed just like the one before it?"

Mom gave a small nod. "But fixing things isn't why I'm here," she admitted, looking around.

Mrs. Daley arched an eyebrow. "Then what is? No, don't tell me. I don't think I'll like the answer. But whatever you need, Liz, I'll help. And little Charlie, too. He's been going bonkers ever since you gave that little announcement last month…and perhaps you can help him with a problem of his."

"What?" I asked.

"Hazel," Mrs. Daley said simply.

I nodded in understanding. "But we have to find a way of not getting rich. I mean, we just can't. We're thieves! Isn't there any laws that'll prevent this?"

"Of course there are," Mom said bitterly, sarcastically. "Just as many as there are in preventing child abuse." There was silence then. "I'm sorry. We'll just have to find a way out of this. I promise, Hanso, this is only going to be a temporary situation." She took a deep breath. "I suppose it's time to face my family again." She grinned suddenly. "I can't wait to hear what Catherine says."

Catherine, apparently, had a lot of things to say. She was red in the face, yelling at her husband and mother-in-law. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SHE HAS THE FAMILY FORTUNE! SHE'S NOTHING BUT A GOOD FOR NOTHING TRAMP! THE MONEY IS OURS! _OURS_!"

"Kate-"

"Don't 'Kate' me, William! How will we even manage to survive? There is honestly no way – no way at all – to stop the eldest child from inheriting the money?"

William coughed. "Not exactly. If the eldest child is a girl, the money actually goes to the person she marries. And technically, younger siblings get their fair bit. It will decrease our finances a little, but we'll still have enough to stay in Uptown."

"We'll probably be the poorest people here!" Catherine screeched. I noticed Charlie looked delighted at the news, but then stared at the ground guiltily when he saw I was watching.

"Oh, there you are," Grandmother said calmly when she saw us. "Back for good this time?"

"Any more shocking announcements?" Mom asked through gritted teeth.

Grandmother smirked. "Just one. But we'll leave that until later, won't we?"

* * *

><p>"This is awful," I told Marie, sitting in her kitchen again. She looked at me, amused. "I mean, I'm glad that Charlie's my cousin, but we can't even talk to each other anymore. Mom, Grandmother, and Catherine – ugh, <em>Aunt<em> Catherine – just fight over who's getting the money." I thought it was only fair that Marie knew what was happening to me and my mom; she was, after all, giving me secret info about my parents.

She smiled slightly. "All families are messed up, Hanso. You just didn't know how much, yet." She turned back to her sewing. "Anyway, doesn't Lizzie have any friends in that rich kid neighborhood? How about her brother? She always told me that he was one of the people she missed the most."

"Her brother, Uncle William, is awful! Once in their conversation, she wanted to run away again, so he reached over and did something to her arm. She was paralyzed until they let her go again. I tell ya, I'm glad that none of the guards know how to do that." I shuddered. "Plus, he just sat there. He didn't do anything at all."

"What about that other girl, Grace?"

"Still haven't found her yet," I admitted. "Anyway, Mom's from Meridell. Uncle William and his family came here years ago to escape Charlie's reputation. Grace is probably still there."

"Perhaps," Marie agreed. "Do you want to continue with your parents' story?"

"You bet."

* * *

><p>My jaw dropped. Lizzie was dead.<p>

Or so it appeared. Her clothes – I noticed that she had selected her most worn clothing in an attempt to fit in, but they were still a lot more expensive that common people's – were ripped and dirty. Her hair looked like Flynn had made a nest in it. She was lying with her back against the wall, just barely breathing. I sighed with relief to see that she was _breathing. _

She had reached Brightvale, though it was pretty clear it had taken her, what, like a month to get there? The crystal ball briefly flashed me images of the weeks she spent on the road, sleeping in bushes and living off berries. Whoa. No wonder she looked so exhausted. I had to remind myself that she was a rich girl then, not at all used to traveling. Now, it would only take Mom a few hours, a day at the most, to visit Meridell if she needed to.

She wasn't moving. I wanted to call out or something, but hey, I was practically a ghost there. It was obvious from where she was that no one was going to find her in their daily routine. She was hidden in an alleyway, behind a stack of barrels. Who in Neopia would check to there, besides a garbage man or something?

"Get back here, Laron!"

I jumped up, shocked. This wasn't possible. How can anyone in the past be calling me with my last name? I mean, nobody uses my last name. To be honest, it's pretty embarrassing. Just as I was about to run, I saw a Lupe and female Shoyru speed through the road and duck in the alleyway. A yellow Zafara guard kept dashing, looking for the culprits. I only glanced at her face for one moment.

It was Summer Vines. I shook my head in disbelief. This could only mean that the Lupe was….

Dad grinned at the red Shoyru, but she was having none of it. "What the heck were you _thinking, _Peter? You stopped and talked to that guard girl when you clearly had the loot in your hands. Kanrik is not going to like this."

"Aw, but it's so much fun winding Summer up," Dad – Peter – said. He laughed. "Did you look at her face? Oh, I love it when I rob her in the morning when she's not fully awake yet. I was all, 'Thanks!' and she was, 'Huh? Get back here, Laron!' It almost made getting up so early worth it."

"And yet it took two buckets of water to coax you out of bed," said the Shoyru dryly.

"Don't pretend you didn't like it, Janice." He smirked. "As for Kanrik…we got the loot, didn't we? Come on, let's hear it for the best thieving team in Neopia!" He gave a bow to an imaginary audience.

"Oh, shut up," Janice said, but she was smiling.

Then they heard a groan.

Janice tensed. "Someone's here," she said, drawing out her dagger. Her dark hair swept around her face, her beady black eyes focused at whatever danger that was coming. Even Peter looked tense. Then there was a loud moan again. But this time, it was obvious it was one of pain.

"Someone's _hurt_," Peter said, concerned. Before Janice could stop him, he pushed the barrels away to reveal Lizzie's still form sagging against the wall. "Oh, Fyora." He stared at her like he couldn't believe what was in front of him. He knelt down. "Sweet, sweet Fyora. She isn't _dead_, is she?"

"Don't be stupid," Janice snapped, still eying Lizzie. "She's obviously alive, what with her whimpering around like that. What are you doing? Peter, you can't mess around with her. She's asleep!"

"I know!" he said. "I wasn't going to. I have a spare healing potion—it's pretty obvious that she's been hurt, or at the very least near death of exhaustion. What?" he said, smirking. "You thought I was going to draw a chocolate moustache on her like I did to you?"

"Ugh!" Janice rolled her eyes. "You just want to help her because she's pretty."

"Ah, but I cannot leave a damsel in distress," he said, grinning even wider.

"Are you turning knight-in-shining armor on me?"

"Pfft. Summer would love that, now, wouldn't she?" Peter teased. Lizzie groaned again, and he remembered what he had to do. He grabbed a small, blood-red bottle from his pocket. I raised my eyebrows. That was weird—I never see any of those around here anymore.

Janice choked. "Where in Neopia did you get that?" He smiled mysteriously. "Well, wherever you did, don't waste it on her! Don't you know you can cure almost anything with that thing, except for the injuries of certain death? You're even allowed to use it in battle."

"Janice, please," Peter said, rolling his eyes. "I don't need it. When was the last time I've faced anyone in battle?"

"Too long, I say."

Peter ignored her protests and raised the bottle to Lizzie's lips. Immediately, the cuts Lizzie started healing. She breathed normally again. The stuff in that bottle was pretty powerful, I thought. A bit too powerful. Lizzie jerked up, causing Peter to jump backwards and Janice to lunge forwards with her dagger in hand. "Janice, no!" Peter cried with real urgency.

Lizzie's skill with the knife saved her. She countered the move, intercepting it before it could fully reach her, and twisted it back. Her eyes looked haunted. She leaped up from her lying position and moved into a clumsy fighting stance. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"Easy, easy," Peter said soothingly. I wasn't sure if he was talking to Janice or Lizzie. Both had equally crazy expressions on their faces. I assumed Lizzie when he continued, "We're not here to hurt you."

"Oh, really?" Lizzie's tone held unmasked disbelief.

"Hey, that's not very grateful. I gave you my very expensive healing potion, you know, which probably saved your life."

She glared. "And you were supposed to kill me yourselves when you came at me with a dagger the moment I woke up?"

Peter shot a look at Janice's direction. "It was an accident. My friend here gets a bit suspicious." He gave Lizzie a charming grin. "Now, whaddya say we put the knife down and get out of here? You can repay us for our kind services," with that, he winked at Janice, "and if you want, we'll even escort you to your home to make sure your pretty little face doesn't get you in any more trouble."

"Pretty little face?" Lizzie shrieked. "I can take care of myself, thank you very much!"

"Sure looked like it," Janice muttered.

"Okay, okay," Peter said, holding up his hands in surrender. "You can take care of yourself. All the same, we should escort you home. No charge, seriously. That potion can't heal everything—you're probably still pretty tired, am I right?" Lizzie shrugged. "So, where do you live?"

Lizzie opened her mouth and closed it. She looked down. "Uh…"

"Let me guess," said Janice, her tone sarcastic. "You hit your head and forgot?"

"No! I just…I..."

"You can tell us," said Peter sincerely.

Lizzie looked at him, almost pleadingly. "I ran away."

There was silence. "You ran…away," Peter repeated. "Whoa. Um, did you happen to have a game plan for this? Like, where would you live if you ran away?"

Lizzie shook her head. "It was a desperate, spur-of-the-moment decision."

"I can see that," Janice said. "Don't you have any friends? Oh, no, you don't. That's pretty obvious, too."

Lizzie's face flushed. "I do! But they're in no position to help me right now."

Janice scrutinized her. "You're not answering any of our questions clearly. You're hiding something."

Lizzie was about to retort, when Peter interrupted, "Let's take her to Kanrik."

Both girls turned to him. "What?"

"Look, it's pretty obvious that she doesn't want to be asked questions or go back home. Am I right? Good. If we take her to Summer, the guard girl would probably give her straight back to her family. There's no other choice, really, unless we want her to live in the streets."

"That plan doesn't sound too bad," Janice muttered.

"Oh, come on."

"I'll go with you," Lizzie said quickly. "I just have one question. Uh, who's Kanrik?"

"What's your name?"

"Lizzie. But that doesn't answer my-"

"Lizzie," Peter said humorously, putting an arm around her. "How would you like to meet the leader of the Thieves' Guild?"

* * *

><p>I doubted Lizzie liked it too well, but since she clearly had no choice, she followed him anyway. Despite being covered with dirt, she clearly still had her pride, and refused any help that they offered her. She even refused to drink the rest of the potion. "I'm not sure if I can pay you back," she mumbled. "At least not without my family."<p>

"Aw, don't worry about it," said Peter good-naturedly. She smiled, and despite all the mud and sand she still looked pretty. I noticed Janice was fuming in the background, jealous. Peter, completely oblivious, took them around a familiar pathway which I knew led to the Thieves' Guild. He raised his amulet – a jewel with a golden Cobrall encircling it – and the doorway opened. The amulet was powered the heart of Terror Mountain. It's the only way of entering the Guild, unless you want to go through the very confusing back-way.

Inside was a lot different than my own time, I noticed. There wasn't a part where people could get their share of food if they needed it; no fire to keep people warm in the chilly underground; not even classrooms for training. Instead, it was just a huge hub. People were talking loudly, bustling around and eating whatever snacks they could find. A few kids were climbing on rocks, something that's not allowed anymore. The thieves were in groups, chatting with each other. The largest one was around the middle, and all the people seemed to be talking to one person.

"_He's _the Thieves' Guild's leader?" said Lizzie, surprised. "He looks barely older than me!" It was true. He looked…what, twenty two? Twenty three? Still, he had the same stressed-out expression, with fierce, concentrated blue eyes and black hair. He still had that 'leader' aura. I guess Lizzie didn't notice the last one, though, because she said, "Are you sure he's capable of running the Thieves' Guil-"

A dagger swept out of nowhere and hit Lizzie's sleeve. "That was a warning shot," Kanrik said, turning around. "Who said that?" Lizzie made a little choking noise. He arched an eyebrow. "Who are you? You aren't one of my regular thieves."

"She's new, sir," Peter said, stepping forward. "Come on, give the girl some slack. She was obviously noticing how cool you were to notice that you were wise as well. Am I right?" Lizzie gave a little nod, her eyes still fixed at the dagger on her sleeve.

"New?" said Kanrik. "I wasn't aware you were recruiting people, Peter. And I would've thought that you'd pick someone less…judgmental." He eyed Lizzie's clothes. "What's her name?"

"Lizzie," Peter answered.

"She can speak for herself," he snapped.

"Lizzie," she said, her voice quavering.

"Oh, so she _can _talk," said Kanrik sarcastically. "Good for her." He looked at her up and down again. "Very clever. Lizzie, I think I need to talk to you in private."

"What for?" she asked.

"So I can give you an…orientation," he said matter-of-factly. "Come along." Before Peter or Lizzie could protest, Kanrik took off the dagger from the wall, grabbed her arm, and led her to a corridor. It was obvious that he didn't have his own office yet; he went through a few rooms to check if they were empty, and finally selected one. Then he turned to her. "You're not who you say you are."

"How do you know?" said Lizzie defensively.

"Your clothes are too rich, your hands are too soft for servant work, and you obviously aren't used to keeping personal comments to yourself."

"Then who am I?" Lizzie glared at him, her fear momentarily forgotten.

"Elizabeth Anne Windsor, wanted in Meridell. A daughter of Henry Tudor Windsor and Anne Boleyn Windsor, a couple living in the kingdom's privileged neighborhood, she has been reported missing three weeks ago by her family. Any person who is able to give any information or bring her back will be rewarded," Kanrik said, reciting from memory. He looked at her. "A thief never forgets anything important. Lucky a friend of mine convinced me to look at news from the rest of the world, so I can spot opportunities when I see them."

Lizzie took a step back. "You're sending me home?"

"We'll have to make you forget our Guild first, I'm afraid," he sighed. "Our enchantments haven't been prepared yet. Don't worry, it won't hurt, just a few minutes and then you'll be heading on-"

"No, wait! I-I don't want to go back."

"You don't want to go back," he repeated dryly. "And where do you plan to stay, Miss Elizabeth? Here, where there's a plethora of poor kids starving? Why should I take you in and give you food and shelter when you have a perfectly good life at home, and most thieves here are at death's door?"

There was a pause as Lizzie tried to think of an answer. Then she looked at him again. "Because I'm as trapped there as thieves are in a dungeon."

He snorted. "Not trapped at all, then. We all know how to lock-pick a door."

"I could, too. I can learn. Please, don't send me back! You don't know how awful it is there." There was desperation in her voice.

"Oh, here comes the waterworks," Kanrik said in a deadpan voice. "All right, Miss Elizabeth. Tell me how awful it is there. Then we can send you home."

She glowered at him again. "Have you ever, in any time of your life, felt trapped by your station?" she snapped. "Powerless to do anything? Because that's how I felt there. I can't do anything to help, I'm being forced into an arranged marriage, and everyday I have to bow and scrape to people more important than me."

"I can check everything off that list except the 'arranged marriage' part," he replied.

"Oh, and I suppose you had a girlfriend?"

Unlike her other remarks, this hit a sore spot. He flinched, and Lizzie could see plainly that he wasn't acting at all. It really was painful. "Yes, Miss Elizabeth. I _had _a girlfriend. Any more stupid questions before I send you packing?"

She stared at him for a moment. "What would she say if she were here?"

"Who?" he snapped.

"Your old girlfriend."

He gritted his teeth. "That's enough questions. Come, I'll escort you to our nearest enchanter-"

"You didn't answer it yet," Lizzie pointed out. "I promise it's the last one. Then you can decide whatever you want to do with me."

He glowered at her for a long time. Then he sighed, defeated. "She would've told me to lighten up, the stress must be getting into my head, can't I see that this is a _great_ opportunity? Then she would've pestered me to keep you as a thief, probably offering to teach you herself. Happy now?"

Despite herself, Lizzie laughed. I'm not sure, but there was a hint of disbelief in it, like she couldn't understand how someone like Kanrik liked someone with a sense of humor. To be honest, I was a little disbelieving too (with that and the implication that Masila even had a sense of humor). "Wow. I would've liked to meet her. What happened?"

"She died," he said flatly. There was silence again. "Or, if you're talking about what happened between us, she poisoned me and left me to die in Terror Mountain. It was pure luck that she miscalculated with her potion. I was talking about what she would've said if she was still just my friend. Now, wasn't that the last question?"

Lizzie shrugged. "I didn't force you to answer the last one."

"Indeed." He looked at her for a long time, sizing her up. She squirmed, but stared straight back at him. Finally, he rolled his eyes. "All right, Elizabeth. I'm giving you two years to prove you can do well—one for training, another really on the job. Unfortunately, our training program hasn't been exactly set up yet. So I suppose I'll have to let you see an old friend of mine."

"Who?" said Liz suspiciously.

"The sister of my old girlfriend, of course," said Kanrik, smirking. "Marie."

* * *

><p>Kanrik and Lizzie walked to a cheery house that I recognized to be Marie's. But that was impossible. Marie's house wasn't exactly 'cheery.'<p>

But I guess it was then, with flowers blooming everywhere in the garden and music playing in the background. There were screams of laughter inside, and suddenly a toddler, a Kyrii, came running out excitedly. "Can't catch me, Mummy!"

"Oh, you wait, Sam, you're having a bath whether you like it or not!" Marie came dashing outside. I was taken aback by how cheerful she looked. Her face wasn't covered in a hood, and her eyes were laughing.

Lizzie scooped down and grabbed Sam just as he was running past her. He kicked and struggled. I grinned, amused. This was hilarious, and awesome blackmailing for the pretty dignified fourteen year old now. "Whoa, there, little tyke," Lizzie said. "I think your mother wants to give you a bath."

He struggled. "You go first!"

She sighed. "You're right. Even the kid says I need a shower."

"You should let me go," Sam said persuasively. Lizzie blinked. "Mummy will give you a bath first if you let me go now. You can have the shower aaaaaalll to yourself."

She shook her head. "Nice try, kid." She gave him to Marie.

"Thanks," Marie said gratefully. "He's a naughty boy." She tilted her head, curious. "Who are you?"

"Perhaps I can explain that better?" said Kanrik, stepping from behind a tree.

"Kanrik!" Marie stared at him. "It's a good thing my husband's not around. He'd put you in jail pretty quickly."

"What, don't you have time for old friends?"

"Of course," she told him. "But you hardly ever do. Why now take time to visit me?"

He shrugged. "I need a favor."

"Sorry, Kanrik. I'm not rejoining."

"I know. We lost one of our best members two years ago." Marie rolled her eyes. "I need more recruits—and she needs particular help."

"Why?" Marie said, frowning.

"She's…." he looked around. "A rich kid."

Marie jumped. "What? Are you mad?"

"I'm right here," Lizzie grumbled.

"Sorry," Marie apologized. "But are you sure you want to do this? And training rich kids can be…well…hard."

"That's why I'm asking you. You're one of our best teachers," Kanrik said simply.

"I _was _one of your best teachers." Marie shook her head. "Sorry, Kanrik, but I have other things to worry about. Like giving Sam a bath." She shook her head and began walking to her house.

Kanrik hesitated, then called out, "I could've forced you to stay, you know!"

"Are you trying to guilt me?" Marie frowned at him.

"Frankly, yes."

"Please?" Lizzie pleaded. "It's what your sister would've done."

She whirled around. "How do you know about my sister?"

"It's how I guilt-tripped _him._" Lizzie pointed to Kanrik.

Marie arched eyebrow. "So. That's why you're being open-minded about this. To your credit, I believe you're right—she'd definitely love this chance." She frowned. "But I'm not her."

"I know," he said. "But as Lizzie's a special case-"

"I'd like to, honestly. I mean, it'd be sort of a good-bye to my sister. But if my husband finds out about this, he'd be furious."

"You'd let him tell you what to do?" said Lizzie, taken aback. "You actually let him? Whoa. And I thought the rich kids had it bad."

"What?" Marie asked.

"The Tradition," Lizzie said impatiently. They looked blank. "You know, the arranged marriage part?"

"You weren't kidding about that?"

"Oh, whatever. Might as well go back there. You're going to do whatever your husband wants, aren't you?" Lizzie crossed her arms.

Marie sighed. "Fine. I'll be her tutor…for a while. And if any of the guards catch me-"

"You'll put the blame entirely on me," finished Kanrik. "Seems fair."

Week 2

"So you're a rich kid?" said Kayley. Lilia and Timmy decided to play with her new doll and his (newly sewn-up) teddy together, so I was forced to talk with her. Besides being the usual pleasant, she's even more irritated after I left her hanging last month when she came to rescue me.

I had realized that there was no possible way I could keep this from my class, so I just spilled. Juliet's reaction was to worriedly ask if we were still friends (of course I said yes); Julius just shrugged (eh, he never shows that much emotion anyway); Razor smiled and said there was something lord-y about me anyway (I playfully punched him on the arm for that one). Only Kayley showed signs of any mistrust, and to be honest I was pretty annoyed with it. We've known each other for three years! There's no way in Neopia I'd betray her now.

"Yes, I am," I snapped. "Would you stop getting mad at me? I can't help who I am. In fact, I like it. I like being related to Charlie."

I expected her to explode, but she just rolled her eyes. "I'm not mad at you, Hanso. I'm worried."

"Worried? When are you ever worried about me?"

"Please. When am I _not _worried about you?" She shook her head. "You still haven't figured it out yet, have you?"

"Just give me a straight answer for once," I pleaded. "I've got enough of riddles—my grandmother's been talking about this 'one last shocking announcement' and I'm getting sick of it."

"Huh. So _she's_ figured it out," noted Kayley. "Hm. Rich lady's more crafty than I thought."

"What is it?" I said angrily.

She looked at me. "Hanso, I'm not sure how to tell you this, but…you were talking to me about the Tradition, right? About how Hazel and Charlie are being forced to marry someone when they reach a certain age."

"Yeah," I replied.

"Why do they have to do that?"

I frowned at her. "Because they're rich kids. Totally unfair, but I guess it's a fact."

"Well…" She bit her lip. "If your mother has the family fortune, doesn't that make you a rich kid too?"

"What…" Then I realized what she was saying. "Oh, no, no. No _way_! I am not…I am _so _not going to follow that-"

"Totally unfair, but I guess it's a fact," Kayley repeated for me.

"Kayley!" I snapped. "I can't get married. Even when I'm twenty-one. I mean, seriously, girls are…" Then I remembered she was a girl, and a violent one for that matter. "Who'd marry me?"

She snorted. "Whoa, you are oblivious." I looked at her, confused, but she said nothing more. "So, find a way to get out of this yet?"

"No," I said miserably. "This is the last shocking announcement, isn't it?"

"Though it makes being free ten times more important," she pointed out. "You know, you could do what your mother did. You and your parents can run away."

"Wait—how did you know my mom ran away?"

"Rumors travel fast," she told me. "Especially the kind that concern the Guild leader's apprentice."

"Well, whatever. I can't leave, especially not now. I mean, I know that me and my…family can survive, but…this is my home. All my friends are here." I grinned at her. "Including you."

"Oh, I'm touched," she said sardonically. "I guess we'll have to find another solution."

"We?"

"I owe it to Juliet," she said simply.

I frowned. "Wait. Why would you owe it to-?"

"Guard!" Kayley shrieked, and immediately she and Lilia jumped into a bush. Whoa. That Cybunny kid's well trained.

Timmy and I turned around—to find Brynn and Violet looking back at us. I grinned, relieved. "Try anything," Violet snapped, probably mistaking my smile for something else, "And we kill you."

I frowned. Leave it to her to burst my bubble. "Are you even allowed to do that?"

She lifted her chin up arrogantly. "If I say so, then yes, I can."

I scowled. "You sounded so much like your brother just then."

Instantly, Violet stole Brynn's sword ("Hey!") and pointed it at my throat. "I am nothing like him," she said through gritted teeth. I just rolled my eyes. After a few moments of being glared at by Brynn, Violet gave the sword back. "How's Hazel?"

"Alwite," Timmy replied. I nodded. We haven't really visited her much, but I see her around a lot now.

"Ebony still gives her a bit of a hard time," I couldn't help adding. It was the truth. Violet glowered at the floor, seemingly wanting to crush all the petpetpets in the grass. For a moment, I wondered how bad Ebony would've had to be to get someone like _her _scared.

Brynn began talking to Violet, trying to calm her down. Seeing an opportunity, I grabbed Timmy's wrist and practically ran away. Then behind us, Brynn called, "Wait!"

I blinked and turned around. This was the first time she had called me back when I wasn't stealing. I grinned. "See, Timmy? She can't bear to be apart from me for more than a few minutes." He giggled uncontrollably. Brynn stopped and gave us a death glare—and seriously, if looks could kill, I'd be pushing up the daisies. That was a Kayley-level glare.

"Hanso," she said primly. "I need to ask you some questions."

"I didn't do it!" I said quickly.

"Didn't do what?" she asked suspiciously.

"Oh, nothing."

She rolled her eyes. "Hanso!"

"I honestly didn't do anything!" I said, raising my hands up in surrender. Changing the subject, I continued, "What did you want to know?"

She stepped closer, with a worried expression on her face. "Something's happening," she said softly. "I still don't know what. Neither does Violet, or Sophia, or anyone in the Guard." There was a note of frustration in her voice. She turned away. "At least…no one we've asked. Sam does, but we don't know what it is and he won't tell us. But he's somehow involved, and his mum's involved, and…What's going on?"

Brynn looked so desperate I might've spilled everything. Then I looked over her shoulder. Morgana, Sam's great aunt, was watching me. Throughout all the weeks, she's been keeping an eye on me, and (I think) trying to watch me slip up. She arched an eyebrow at Brynn, and I gulped. Now was not the time to answer questions—and the best way to avoid them was to ask a few questions of my own. "Who's Sam?" I said, wondering how much they knew.

"A Kyrii, a few years older than me," she replied. "He's taller than me, very kind and he always sticks up for us whenever someone picks on us."

"And who's his mom?" I continued. She frowned, trying to remember.

"Who's what's who's?" Violet asked, catching up. She glared when she saw me. "Brynn!"

"He might have information on the 'little problem,'" Brynn told her urgently.

Violet frowned, not liking it, but probably deciding that she was right. "Repeat the question," she ordered.

"Who's Sam's mom?"

"Marie," said Violet matter-of-factly. Morgana glared at me, probably wondering how they got this information. This was becoming very bad for my 'traitor' reputation. I had to get out of there.

"Um, yeah," I said awkwardly, grabbing Timmy's wrist again. "We'd better get going and-"

"Hanso," Brynn said sternly, realizing that I was hiding something ffrom them. "Who's Marie?"

"Sam's mom," I said simply.

Brynn sighed exasperatedly. "Apart from that?"

There was no way I could get out of that without seeming suspicious. Morgana tilted her head, something as I read as, _Give her information, but choose your words carefully. Or you die. _Eep.

"I'm not too sure myself, Brynn," I said simply. "She's…a lot of things. Sometimes she's a spy, sometimes she isn't even in the Guild, sometimes she is. She's friends with Kanrik, that much I know." Morgana raised her eyebrows. Time to ask for information myself. "Okay, my turn."

"Fire away," said Violet carelessly.

"How much do you need this Sam guy?"

Violet and Brynn glanced at each other. "Well…" Brynn began. "He's the leader of our Rebellion. Without him, nothing stops Harry from beating us up and bullying us really."

"Or taking me back," Violet added, shuddering.

"Can you manage with that?" I pleaded. "Because you seem to have toughened up a lot."

Which was true. They really have grown up, I guess, with a little help. Brynn's ten times faster with the sword and is a great strategist. And Violet…I hated to admit it, but she's pretty cool, too. Not just with the bow and arrow. It's awful to think about, but the Rebellion _needs _Violet's arrogance, the rich kid stubbornness that she _will get what she wants _whether people like it or not. It reassures them. I really doubted that anything could sway her now.

I continued. "And if this 'Sam' is anywhere near as amazing as Marie says he is, we need him pretty badly right now."

Brynn looked at me, and I realized that I was scaring her. "What's going on?"

I glanced at Morgana. "I can't tell you."

"Hanso-"

"Look, I would if I could, okay?"

"Okay," she said slowly, nodding.

Timmy began tiptoeing away, clearly bored. I grabbed his arm. "Thanks," I told her. _Thanks for understanding. _"Bye."

"Bye!" Timmy said, obviously glad we were leaving.

"Bye," Brynn said.

Violet smiled and ruffled Timmy's hair. He quickly straightened it out, probably an automatic response because his mother did it a lot. "If only my sister could be more like you with her hair," said Violet wistfully, and for a moment, I saw she was really worried for her sister. Then she smiled at Timmy. He giggled. "Bye bye, Timmy. Bye bye, Teddy. Bye bye, Thief."

"Hanso," I told her.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Violet turned away and looked in the rich kid neighborhood, frowning. For a moment, I thought she reminded me of somebody – but it was gone the instant she began glaring at me. She reminded me of….

Nah, couldn't be. Could it?

I didn't have time to wonder—Morgana came at me as soon as they left. I noticed Kayley and Lilia slip away. "Who are they?" she demanded.

"Guards of Brightvale," I replied.

"And why do they talk to you?"

I hesitated. "Well, you know the Kougra? She's really skillful, and she's already helped me loads of times. We think that she'd be someone powerful one day, maybe Captain of the Guard, so it'd be useful to have someone close to her."

A corner of Morgana's mouth twitched. "Not very smart of Kanrik, I fear," she said, shaking her head. "You are too much like-" She stopped herself, and then glanced at me. "Despite what you may think, my niece's downfall was brought because she chose the wrong sort to befriend. See that does not happen to you."

* * *

><p>Shoot. Maybe I shouldn't have worried Violet so much about Hazel. Because what else could have possessed her to go to Uptown and visit for herself?<p>

It was after school, and Kayley wanted to go with me. No, _needed _to go with me. She said it was for something important. I didn't think it was a good idea. "My grandma's really…strict."

"So is Morgana, and I have no problems with her," she quipped. Yeah, and that so explains why she left me to deal with her yesterday. "I need to check something. The times that I've been there…something felt very, very wrong."

"Felt wrong? Of course it felt wrong! They have photos of dead relatives all over the place!" I shuddered. "Even worse, they're _my _relatives."

"All the same," she snapped. "I want to go and check."

"Want me to come?" said Juliet, overhearing us. I sighed with relief. She can calm just about anybody down—hopefully she could at least stop me and Kayley from bickering too loudly. Plus, she'd like all the pretty stuff, and of course the cookies Mrs. Daley bakes.

Also…something I've been noticing lately. Ever since Masila's 'defeat' a few months ago, Kayley's been looking paler and paler, like she was getting sick. Only Juliet's noticed besides me. Maybe, between us, we could get her to spit out what's wrong.

Juliet's eyes widened when she saw Charlie's house. "Wow."

"Hey, you've seen it before," I reminded her.

"Yeah," she admitted. "But then a fire destroyed it. To be honest, I keep picturing it as burnt ruins."

"And it could be mine," I said miserably.

She smiled, trying to cheer me up, and said in a rich-kid way, "What a big house you have!"

I copied her. "What a large amount of candy you have!"

"What huge gardens you have!" she countered, smirking.

"What pretty eyes you have," I said.

She spluttered, and suddenly we were both laughing hysterically. Even Kayley cracked a half-smile. Then a voice shrieked, "What are _you _doing here?"

I whirled around. "V-Violet?" I gaped.

"Yes! Glad you finally remembered my name," she said, glaring. "But what are you doing in _my _neighborhood?"

"What are _you_ doing here? And hey, this is not your neighborhood." I glowered at her. "You don't even live here anymore!"

"You better thank Fyora I'm not," she said, tossing her hair. "Or else I would've hired guards of my own to keep you out. For your information, I'm here to check on Hazel."

I looked at her in disbelief. "What? You're going to fight Ebony is he mistreated her?"

She turned red and looked down. "No…"

"See? You aren't going to do anything."

"I can tell my mother," she snapped.

"Yeah, and does she do anything?"

"Are you insulting her?" Violet asked, her eyes snapping up.

I realized I made a mistake. "No!"

"Because I think you were insulting her," she continued. "And as you know, guards don't take kindly to thieves insulting their mothers-"

"Okay, everyone," Juliet interrupted. "Let's all take deep breaths and calm down."

"Who are you?" Violet snapped, glancing at her. Looking at them side by side, it was a weird contrast—Violet always trying to make herself pretty, with Juliet managing it without trying.

"I'm Hanso's friend," she said simply. "May you please calm down? I think we just have a sort of misunderstanding. I've watched you, sometimes. You're a reasonable person, right?" Odd. Juliet's highly talented in lying when she needs to.

Violet huffed, but I doubted even she could bring herself to be rude to Juliet. She turned to Kayley instead, who had been hiding in the shadows. "I'm guessing you're a thief?" she said disapprovingly.

"I'm guessing you have a brain?" Kayley snapped.

This wasn't good. If things didn't stop soon, it was going to be an all-out girl fight. When I was little, I thought girls were sissies, just playing with tiaras and stuff. But _these _three…Violet would try and scratch Kayley's eyes out if things got bad. Wouldn't help that Kayley would slit any guard's throat that annoyed her. And Juliet would try to get between them to keep the peace, although she'd probably fail and have to use her own fighting skills to defend herself. Just add Brynn into the mix, and we're one big, happy family.

"What's going on?" Mom walked towards us with a confused expression.

Juliet seized the opportunity. "I'm Juliet, ma'am. Hanso's friend," she repeated her earlier introduction. "This is Kayley. She's…uh, an acquaintance of his, too. And this is Violet. A….guard."

"What's a guard doing here?" said Mom. Before Violet could retort, she added, "And a pretty one, at that."

Violet blinked. "Um, I'm here to visit my little sister. These three were in the way."

"Well, I think they can move-" Then suddenly, Mom's face froze. "Did you say _little sister_?"

"Yes," said Violet, confused.

"You lived in the rich kid neighborhood? You're a rich kid?"

"Yes."

"You're a girl. And you joined the Guard." Mom shook her head. "How is that possible? It wasn't allowed when I was-" She stopped herself.

"I found a few loopholes," said Violet, pretty glad about showing off. "We have a few law books-"

"Those weren't allowed, either," she murmured. "Not unless you went to that cursed girl's school."

"Someone in Charles Windsor's family did," Violet told her. "I guess that person left her books behind. There were stuff written all over the pages, with loopholes and shortcuts."

"My law books? You _found _them?" Mom said in disbelief. I should've known she was the one who wrote the scribbles. I grinned.

Violet stared at her. "They were yours?" She scrutinized Mom. "Who _are _you?"

"Hanso's mother," she said simply. "People call me Lizzie Laron. But my maiden name is Elizabeth Anne Windsor."

Violet squealed so loudly I had to cover my ears. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! You're _the _Elizabeth."

Now it was Mom's turn to look confused. "Uh…I'm famous?"

"You're only a _living legend_! People thought that you weren't real. I mean, sometimes I doubted it because I didn't think Charlie could be related to someone so awesome. But the stories were so cool!" She was dancing around, still squealing. Mom watched her, amused. "They said you scared every single suitor away, even though there were tons because you were so pretty. How did you even _do _that? And you're the only person to have _ever _been expelled in the girls' school! And best of all, you _escaped the Tradition_!" Violet stopped, out of breath.

"Well, you certainly know a lot about me," said Mom, smiling. "Who told you?"

"It's been a huge rumor in the rich kid neighborhoods forever. Like I said, a lot of people didn't believe it. Who could break out of the Tradition?" She smiled and out of nowhere took out a notebook and a purple pen. "I have Hannah the Brave's autograph, and Theresa (she's a guard who's also in some magazines), and a few other famous people's. I, um, kinda ask for autographs for any amazing person that I meet. Can I pleeeease have yours?"

"Uh, sure," said Mom, leaning down and signing her name.

"You became a thief in the end, huh? Most people thought you died!" she said, chattering away. "They thought you fell in the river, or got eaten by Meepits, or-"

"Hey, wait a minute," I said. "I thought you have a problem with thieves?"

"But she did it to break the Tradition," she said matter-of-factly. "That makes a difference." She looked at Mom regretfully. "Sorry, ma'am, but I have to go see my sister now." She hesitated. "You don't happen to know if my dad's around?"

"Who's your dad?"

"Black Tennyson," she said darkly.

A small smile appeared on my Mom's lips. "Black? The color guy?"

"Yeah." Violet stared at her. "Did you know him?"

"Know him? He was one of my suitors. The last one, actually." I remembered what my grandmother said in the crystal ball. _You have driven every single suitor you had away. The last one was crying!_

I smirked. This was going to be fun.

* * *

><p>Kayley was a little disgruntled at having her plans interrupted, but even she admitted it'd be cool to see a grown man scared. I noticed she and Violet kept firmly either to my side, though thankfully Juliet kept Kayley distracted. "Just so we're clear," she told me quietly, "We say nothing about this to Brynn or any of the Rebellion."<p>

I shrugged. Fine by me. I didn't want any guards figuring I was a rich kid—I'd be a laughingstock.

"I wonder who he married," said Mom absent-mindedly. "Poor lady." She turned to Violet. "What's your mother like?"

"Oh, she's nice," said Violet. "When I was little she showed me all sorts of hairstyles, though she doesn't have time for that anymore. Daddy orders her around a lot."

"Will she be opposed to me…er, frightening your father?"

Violet laughed. "No. I think she's going to like it."

"Maybe we should invite Charlie," I suggested. "Then he could see Hazel too-"

"No!" Violet shrieked. "I don't want every time I visit my sister to be spoiled by…him." She hmphed. Mom frowned questioningly, but said nothing. Then we were at the house. But before we could open it, we heard yelling.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS? Did you actually give food to those _beggars_?"

"They were starving, sir!" I heard Honey's voice say. "Besides, it was vegetables. Your son does not eat them anyway."

"I don't care! I'll not have a meal fit for a prince be served to people lower than dirt! Do you understand me?" His voice held a soft, threatening, tone, and I had a feeling that Honey was in a very dangerous position then. Mom's eyes turned to slits, and she opened the door.

Black, Ebony's father, had Honey's neck in his grip, almost strangling her. "Let go of her!" Mom ordered, glaring at him.

He was so shocked that he did, throwing her in a heap on the floor. Then he came to his senses. "And who, might I ask, are you? You have no business to meddle with my family's affairs."

"My nephew and son is friends with your younger daughter, and your older one has asked for help. That makes it my business."

"Violet, eh?" Black eyed the little girl. She cowered behind Mom. "So you've coming running back here? What, Guard got too much for you? Ha! I knew a girl wouldn't last for long."

"No," Violet said, her voice quavering. "I'm just here for a visit. After that I-I'll leave."

Black laughed. "You'll never get out. Think you're new grown-up friend can do something for you? Who are you anyway?"

This time, Mom didn't even stop to introduce herself as Lizzie. "Elizabeth Anne Windsor," she snapped. Honey made a little choking sound, but that was nothing compared to Black's expression.

"No…it can't be…you're dead!"

"Dead?" said Mom calmly. "Who gave you that idea? I'm still very much alive." With that, she took her weapon of choice out and began cleaning her nails with it. "And still very, very good with knives. You remember the last time I showed you my knives, don't you?"

"W-what do you want?" said Black, trembling.

"My nephew wishes to speak with your daughter at times. Will you allow that?"

For the first time, Black smiled evilly. "Oh, yes, Elizabeth. He may talk to her as long as she is here."

Mom frowned and looked at Honey, who was still huddling in a corner. "And stop being so mean to your wife! Thank Fyora I wasn't it."

He glowered at her, and then at Violet. "Soon, my girl…" he said warningly, trooping upstairs.

Mom went to Honey and offered her a hand up. "You okay?"

"Yes," Honey replied in clipped tones. "I'm getting on well, thank you very much. You needn't meddle in my affairs." Her head was down.

"Hey," said Mom, clearly stung. "I didn't mean anything. That guy could've killed you! He just-"

"I can handle myself just fine, thanks _Liz_," Honey snapped, whirling around. Only, it wasn't Honey. The times I saw Violet's mother, she always seemed weak, meek, and obedient. Now, she had a fierce expression on her face, and I realized why Violet looked so familiar.

"_Grace_?" Mom gasped, her hands coming to her mouth. "What…how…"

"I was wrong," Grace said stiffly. "One day _does _make a difference, it seems."

"What happened?" Mom said desperately. "I thought you said your family would arrange a good match for you, or…"

She laughed bitterly. "I was just kidding myself. You knew that better than me."

"I'll kill him," Mom said angrily, her eyes darting to the place where Black left. "I swear I'll-"

"You'll do no so such thing," Grace told her. "And by the way, you just made things worse, and secured nothing but a few weeks of freedom for Charlie and Hazel."

"He can't go back on his word," Mom said stubbornly.

"Hazel," Grace said, "Is going to be sent to the Academy."

Violet looked as if she had been slapped. "What? No! Mum, you can't let Dad do this-"

"He's not doing it. He didn't even suggest it. I did." Violet and Mom stared at her. She sighed. "Look, no one can watch over her here, and she doesn't even have Charlie that much. Ebony bullies her all the time. I think it's best if she leaves for a bit."

"Grace!" Mom said, shocked. "They'll _crush _her at that Academy. You know it." And if they don't crush her, I thought, she'd have to resort to use her 'special voice.' I shuddered.

"That's not my name anymore, Elizabeth," she told her stonily. "Anyway, I have to go. Hazel will be leaving at the end of the month.

All of us stepped outside, utterly silent. Then Mom said, "What happened to her?"

Violet shrugged. "I didn't even know you knew each other."

"She was my best friend," Mom said softly. She shook her head. "I've got to end this."

"As well as break out of that Tradition ourselves," I reminded her.

"What?" Violet asked, frowning. "I thought you already broke it."

"Long story," I told her.

"I still don't know how you became a guard," said Mom, trying to change the subject. Violet began explaining excitedly, and when she finished, Mom chuckled. "I can't believe I've never thought of that. But, you know, Grace or whatever she's called now is actually the one who made the most of them. I just wrote them down."

"Hard to believe," Violet noted. Juliet and Kayely hadn't said anything, but I knew they were agreeing.

"I suppose, by the look on your face, you've discovered what happened to Grace?" said a familiar voice. Mrs. Daley went to us. "Good to see you, Violet."

"Hi," said Violet awkwardly. "Uh, I better go before my friends notice I'm missing."

"You can go out when you want?"

"If you live close enough," she explained. "A lot of people's parents live too far away."

"Why?" Mom teased. "Looking forward to the next visit? If things don't work out, I could always betroth you to each other."

Violet, Juliet, and I all said "NO!" at the same moment. Juliet turned a little red. Mrs. Daley and Mom chuckled. Weird thing I noticed, though, was that Kayley wasn't reacting at all. She was frowning at Mrs. Daley.

"I guess we all better go," Mom said finally. We began separating, when Kayley grabbed my wrist.

"Can I talk to him for a bit?" she asked. Mom nodded and left. "Hanso. That lady. There's something wrong about her."

"Who? Mrs. Daley?"

"Yeah."

"What? She's the nicest person I've ever met."

"Nevertheless, there's something wrong…I'm sensing a huge power source in her."

"Since when have you been able to detect power?" I said in disbelief.

She opened her mouth and closed it. "Look, just trust me, okay? And watch your back."

Week 3

"I just don't think it's a good idea," Kanrik snapped to Morgana. Our little council (me, Mom, Marie, him, and Morgana) was in his office. They were still arguing about the situation. "Marie, you said we didn't even have an answer yet from Sam, right? How in Neopia can we say that he'd fight her?"

"Oh, I know Sam's type," Morgana said airily. "When it becomes clear that his friends and family are in danger, he'll come around."

"Don't forget that Masila's his family too," Kanrik told her.

Morgana smiled. "Exactly! Think of all the anguish it would cause her, which is much needed. If he's decent with his sword, between his and my presence, she'd completely crack."

"But I-" Kanrik frowned.

"You want the best for your Guild, don't you? Taking Masila down is the best way. Besides," she said primly, "I highly doubt this really ends in death."

Marie frowned. "Aunt Morgana, this _is_ a duel to the death."

"She could surrender. She might have a trick up her sleeve. But even if she does die, I know she'd give us something to remember her by, at the very least." She snickered. "Oh, I've trained her well. But now it's time to start the chain reaction. Where's that Master Serpent?"

"Right here, my lady," he said. To be honest, I was glad to see the old guy. He looked at Kanrik. "What do you need me for, sir?"

"To call Masila, I suppose," he said. "You're the one who's in the least danger when you talk to her—she was fond of you."

Master Serpent shrugged. "I was fond of her, too. You have reached a solution?" We nodded. "May I ask, before I leave, who the new lady is? You appear to have kept her exclusive, and I have to inform you that some Guild members are uneasy with her presence."

"No, you may not," Morgana snapped. "It is none of their business. Now do as your master commands you."

"Pardon me," he said stiffly. "I just thought I saw you before. Of course I'll follow my orders."

"Master Serpent-" Kanrik began.

"It's all right, Kanrik," said Master Serpent with a wink. "You're not the people who surrounds you. Although I do feel uneasy…" He glanced at Morgana one final time and slithered away to find Masila. To be honest, I had a bad feeling, too. It was as if she didn't want him to know who she was.

* * *

><p>I followed Master Serpent to check that the coast was clear. I didn't ask permission, though Kanrik, Mom, and Marie saw me leave. They couldn't cry out—I had already gone. I wasn't really tailing the guy, I just went after him. He was already talking to Masila when I spotted him again.<p>

"…Good to see you, too," Masila finished. She had her cloak on, but from what I could see from her face, she was smiling. I guess she genuinely did like the old guy. I wondered how they became acquainted. "I don't suppose I can coax you to join my side, can I?"

"I'm sorry, Masila. But I made a promise to a young lady that I'd look after her friend no matter what."

"I take it back!"

"You can never take words back, my dear. I would think you'd know, as they're so precious to you." He had an amused tone of voice, as if he could really afford to relax in front of her. "But I promised myself to look after the girl, too. I shall keep hoping that she will reconcile with her old friends."

Masila huffed. "Faerieland would have to crash first."

"I'm guessing you're updated on the goings-on at the Guild?"

"A little bit. Is it true, then, that Hanso is a rich kid?" She paused. "Never mind, the sweetheart can answer for himself. Hanso, please come out from behind the tree. It's not the best hiding place, especially at sunset when your shadow stands out quite clearly."

"I wasn't hiding," I grumbled.

Mom, Marie, and Kanrik came before she could speak again. Morgana was nowhere to be seen. I noticed Masila's small smile vanished when she saw them, but she persisted. "So?"

"So what?" Mom said.

Masila arched an eyebrow. "So, did you actually take in a rich kid to be part of the Guild? If my sources are correct, that rich kid is _you, _Lizzie." She shook her head, looking at Mom up and down. "Whose brilliant idea was that?"

"You don't have to mock about it," Kanrik snapped. "It's one of the best choices I've ever made, and I-"

"_You _requested that?" Masila said in disbelief. "And here I thought you had no imagination. That was…that was actually pretty good."

He stared at her. "And here _I _thought you were insulting us."

"He almost didn't allow me to, though," Mom couldn't help adding. "Thought it would be too much of a burden." He glared at her, and she smirked.

"Are you mad? Lighten up, sweetheart. The stress must've been getting into your head if you thought of turning down such an offer. It would've been…it _was _a great opportunity. As you can obviously see." She nodded at Mom. "Honestly, if I was still in the Guild I would've requested to teach her myself."

I nearly burst out laughing. I remembered what I saw in the crystal ball. Kanrik had guessed what she would've said, almost word for word. Mom, too, had a sad little smile on her face. _Wow. I would've liked to meet her. _Not really what she expected.

"Anyway," Masila said, her tone clipped again. "You made a decision? Or are you surrendering?"

"On the contrary," Morgana said, stepping from the shadows. "We're hoping it's you who'd step down."

Masila hardly even blinked. "Hello, Morgana. I heard you were back."

And suddenly, Morgana's calm demeanor turned to anger. "Who told you?"

"Who told me what?"

"Who told you that I was here? There is no way in Neopia that you could've remained as stoic as that unless you had prior knowledge!"

"Perhaps I've gotten better control of myself, _auntie._" She spat the last word. I noticed Master Serpent stared at Morgana with disbelief, and then looked at Masila desperately, shaking his head. She didn't notice. I frowned, thinking that there was something going on here that I didn't understand. "You haven't told me your decision yet."

"You're to fight your own nephew, girl, if you have the stomach for it," Morgana snarled.

"Sam?" Masila's voice betrayed nothing but a cold, biting anger. "You're asking me to fight Sam? He's just a kid. _And _your son," she added to Marie. "Hmph. Makes me rethink how far a mother would go to save her son…or at least, how much you'd do for Kanrik. I mean, really," she said, addressing the Guild leader. "Even for you, this is extremely low."

"He's not such a kid anymore," Kanrik said heavily.

"Well, he isn't grown up, either." Masila glared at them, and then at Master Serpent. "I should've known that you'd be in on it, too. Thanks a lot."

Master Serpent looked at her urgently. "But I didn't know-"

"Oh, save it. You're all playing dirty now, are you? I suppose I should've expected that."

"You're the one to talk of trying to play dirty," Kanrik snapped back. "Just step down. Then you don't have to fight anyone."

"That's your game, is it?" Masila shook her head. "No, I refuse. I'm not going to surrender just because some…some brat of my sister dares to challenge me. I've waited far too long for this. Let's say, end of next month?"

"No!" Marie shrieked. "Please, Masila, just reconsi-"

"Reconsider? Sister, if you don't want to have him fight, pull him out yourself. You're his mother, aren't you? Or are you too scared to open your mouth?" She turned to Kanrik. "I'm assuming it's a yes. End of next month it is." She frowned at us and began walking away.

To our surprise, Master Serpent went after her. I followed, too, but the rest of the adults stayed behind. "Masila, please, I-"

"I shouldn't have assumed more from you," she said simply. "You're loyal to Kanrik. I can see that. And I suppose you were kidding, saying that you're still looking after me."

"But I am. Always."

She rolled her eyes. "Then why didn't you tell me about her? You're lucky that I _did _have prior knowledge." Drat. Another spy on the loose, though I doubted it was Sasha this time. "But thank you, I guess. For before. And please tell Hanso that a boulder is not a good hiding place, either." He turned for one moment, and she quickly went away.

"Hanso," he growled.

"What was that about?" I asked him, slightly accusing.

"Something to do with her aunt a long, long time ago" was his only reply.

Week 4

Sam still wasn't coming around. Marie, had been trying to see him everyday, and there wasn't any change. I had to go and visit him—but of course, I had classes. It was a pretty boring day, of course. Jacques just went on and on about faeries and artefacts (since when will I ever need to know about that?). He was still pretty angry with Juliet, and by extension, Julius. So the only thing interesting that happened in the lesson was….

"SQUAWK! SQUAWK!"

"Flynn!" Juliet shrieked, opening the door for the bird. She hugged him, and the poor thing did a little chirp before it flew back to its perch. He seemed a lot more groomed and fed than would've thought for a bird who'd been adventuring for three weeks. Probably a Pawkeet thing.

"Miss ya, too, girly. Joks," said Flynn gravely. "Needs a life."

"You little-" But I could tell that Jacques was glad to have Flynn back, too.

Flynn was carrying a piece of paper on his beak, speaking with the other side. Before Jacques could grab it, Flynn hopped over to me and deposited on my lap. Curious, I began reading it. Half of it was smudged from Flynn's drool or otherwise torn off, but the rest was pretty interesting.

_...kind of weird, because he didn't seem like a rich kid when I met him, but that rumor's already confirmed. He isn't a 'blood-sucking traitor' like I heard someone else say, though. At least, I hope he's not. But my parents were Assassins, so really, who am I to judge? _

_Bridgette's like Kanrik's personal assistant, now, handling all the paperwork. We all do stuff like that. Mom bakes and gives her pastries to kids who can't afford it. Jerry and Kenny invent a new escape maneuver everyday, or at least try to (some end hilariously, but none of us laugh that much anymore). And Jordan…well, I already wrote to you about Jordan. He was already kind of bad, but losing Dad made it even worse._

_And as for me, I watch, as always. I still remember every word that Dad said, though I guess you can look at that as a blessing or curse. But I don't want to forget. _

_Miss you. _

_-Tyler_

A letter, I knew, but weirdly one side of the page seemed to have been ripped like something off of a notebook. Why would someone write a letter in a notebook? That just wastes paper, as Mom always reminds me (I hardly every rip off any paper from my journal unless it's a huge emergency). Unless he never intended to send it? But I didn't dwell on that too much.

So at least I had one person (who isn't Juliet) who didn't think I was a traitor. I'm glad, 'cause I did like him. Thinking about it, I remember seeing him around. I also remember a blond Poogle talking to Kanrik a lot, carrying around a clipboard. One thing they had in common: Both had glimmers of heartbreak on their faces. I wasn't the only one who lost my dad on that mission.

"What's that?" Kayley asked. I'm not about to mistrust her again, so I handed the paper over. Before she could read it, Flynn flew up, snatched it, and crumpled it to pieces in his mouth. He obviously didn't want Kayley to know what was inside.

"What-?"

"Squawk!" he said sleepily, going to his bird-house. "Not yet time. Not yet time."

* * *

><p>I don't really like visiting the Guard's base out of my own free will, but this time it was necessary. I had to talk to Sam. Unfortunately, someone was there before me. "You really think you can fight me and win, sweetheart?" said Masila, talking with Sam just outside the base. Both of them looked slightly angry.<p>

"Hey," Sam retorted. "Who said anything about that? Mum only asked me. I never said I'd do it!"

"Wait….your mother said you'd fight me before you even gave your permission?" There was surprise in her voice. "I suppose she didn't lie. She just said you would."

"_What_?" he shrieked in utter disbelief. "They must be getting desperate."

"Yes," I agreed, stepping out. Sam seemed genuinely surprised—Masila was just faintly irritated, like she knew I was there but didn't think I'd actually bother to come out."We really need you, Sam. You're the only one who has enough skills-"

"Enough skills?" Masila spat. "Ha. You've certainly never seen Kanrik really fight. He has plenty enough skills. He's just _scared_, and thinks that he can hide behind a kid."

"I'm not a kid!" said Sam hotly. "I can take care of myself just fine."

"I know that, darling. That's exactly why I left you alone when you were arguing with that Harry kid for years."

He turned red. "You _saw _that?"

"Well, yes," she admitted. "I do keep track of you, you know."

"And you didn't help?"

She threw up her hands. "I wanted you to learn to fight your own battles—not end up like Marie. I coddled her too much, and now look at her, doing everything Kanrik says without question. You've got to admit, it's helped you in the long run. What was your little group called again? The Rebellion?"

"We're not just a 'little group.' We try to take care of people, and we do what's right. We also look out for one another, which is something you've never done for me."

She sighed. "I'm sorry. Perhaps I should've helped a little bit. That doesn't mean we have to fight, Sam."

"We need you," I told him again. Masila looked irritably at me. "If you don't fight and win, we're all doomed to serve Vlade." Sam still looked unsure. I took a deep breath and played my last card. "Okay, no matter how bad the Thieves' Guild is, at least none of us ever hurt your family." Sam's eyes shot up, and it was clear he got the message. _At least none of us killed your father. _

Masila's eyes turned to slits. "Oh, and _I _did? Where's your proof, darling?"

"He's got proof enough," Sam managed to say. "I'll duel her."

"Sam!" Masila's voice turned pleading. "Don't do it. You'll only get hurt."

"Like you care," he snapped, glaring at her. "I hate you."

"Why?" Masila snarled. "Your mother said so? You've been hearing stories about me all your life saying that I was evil, and you choose now to believe them? That's just like a regular guard thinking all thieves are bad."

He seemed taken aback by her response. "I-"

"Sammy," she said, anger seething into every word. "You know nothing – _nothing _– about hating your aunt." She turned and left, leaving her nephew staring after her.

**For those of you curious, "Laron" means "thief" in old French. **

**Kyanite Archer/Lucy—Yeah, the conversations are kinda detailed (although I do sometimes keep conversations in my diary if I write everything down quickly), but Hanso's excuse is that "A thief never forgets anything important." Oh, and to quote Ame: "Plus, (s)he lives in Brightvale. I just use that as my excuse. Everyone in Brightvale seems to be a clever-clogs…" **

**For the age thing, the crystal ball sort of told him. Since he had no idea what he was looking for, the ball gave him the option of going back to Lizzie's childhood, and he knew that she was seven. Weird, huh? Maybe I should've explained that better… **

**Kayley didn't talk to Sam, he saw her trying to sneak in. **

**I'm glad you guessed it. Her up a tree + Hairdressing + Honey colored eyes= Hazel's and Violet's mother. She's Ebony's mother too (each of them has at least one trait of hers)….Anyway, she's called Honey because the Tradition states that she has to convert her name into the husband's theme (I think I said that before). Her name was Grace because she's named after the traits of a proper blue-blood…she'll have relatives called 'Prudence' and 'Poise.' After all, her last name is 'Trate' (bad pun, I know…). :D **


	45. September at Ages 10 and 11

**Another important A/N:**

**Yes, I have a new username. I think I'll keep this one. It's based on a real nickname and another username I have. :P **

**Thanks (for the comments regarding the revisions). Between the lines of threatening to kill me if I change it, they were nice. :) The early chapters still bother me, though, but that could be because I'm such a perfectionist. So here's what I'll do: I'm changing the first chapter (It might have already changed, so go check them out), and in my profile I've set up a poll whether you like the old or new chapter more. If the old one gets more votes, I'll keep it. **

**Oh, and something else to look at in my profile: "Thieves' Guild 101," which is basically a guide for anything confusing about the Thieves' Guild along with the history, which I will update when there is new info about the Guild in HJ. PM or send me a review if you want something added. **

**Nom-Nom322- Good question, about the last name. Peter had known Summer a much shorter time than Hanso has known Brynn, but he's a lot more trusting. Summer is not on first name basis with Peter (at least, not so far with the flashbacks), so she simply calls him Laron. As for Hanso writing an entry during TFR, I'm not sure. I don't even really know how much time passed in Neopia while we were on plot-mode, although it only looked like a few days (still, there's a chance that it could've taken longer, due to the traveling). Most likely, Hanso will stop writing before TFR, and then I'll skip forward and write a last entry afterwards. I might make a separate story for that, though… **

The Month of Gathering (September) Ages 10 and 11

Week 1

"So, have you finally turned against guards or am I missing something?" Kayley asked me. I glared at her. She's talking about _me _being anxious? She'd been pacing around ever since Sam had come today. She wasn't the only one. All of the Thieves' Guild were going crazy about the upcoming duel, and having a guard fight for them of all things. Most of them were actually doubtful it would happen—until Sam came to the headquarters _with permission._ After that, none of it had much of a choice but to accept him. "I can't believe the guy agreed to go with his mother just like that."

"Well, she did say that he would duel," I told her. I didn't say that I was actually the one who convinced him. No one but Masila and Sam knew. I guess you could say it might've gained favor—that I might've gotten credit for doing something adults couldn't do. But it just didn't seem right. What I said, about Masila killing Sam's dad, made me feel really guilty. Sure she's evil, but she did care about Sam.

But if she really cared, why was she fighting him in a duel to the death? That wasn't why I was feeling so crushed, though.

Kayley still looked troubled. "Yeah, but I never actually thought he would. He seemed so adamant. I hate it that he's actually _in the Guild._" She had a shrewd expression on her face. "Besides, this is stupid to begin with. We're being tricked."

"What? How?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. But there's something fishy going on."

"Like what?"

She bit her lip. "I just can't believe Masila would do anything as foolish as risk all her plans in one duel. Even if she does win, the Thieves' Guild will never follow Vlade. And besides, there's something weird about Morgana…."

"We already know she has prophecy powers."

"Wrong. Her stupid notebook has prophecy powers. She just has the gift of Sight," she said matter-of-factly.

"How do you even know that?" Juliet asked, coming next to us. Since our visit to the rich kid neighborhood, she's been tagging along a lot. Not that I minded. She had a calming effect on _some _people who got angry easily. And she provided extra protection—her brother always shadowed us, whether he showed himself or not.

Kayley shrugged.

Juliet and I glanced at each other. We both knew something was going on with Kayley, and whatever it was, it wasn't good. Not many people were noticing it yet; but Kayley had been my partner in crime more than anybody, and Juliet always trailed after her. We knew her best (although she still wouldn't admit we were friends). And what we were seeing was that she wasn't feeling well. She seemed more unfocused, more tired everyday, and she wouldn't spit out why. But even though she was getting weaker, how can she sense power sources? I've been sick before, and I knew that is not a symptom of stomach colds.

"Kayley," said Juliet slowly. "Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"Why are you asking me?" she snapped. "_I _was asking Hanso why he wasn't as annoying as usual."

Juliet looked away. "I'm guessing it's 'cause Hazel left, right?"

I choked. "How did you know that?"

"I went to Uptown again when I saw you were going there," she admitted. "I wanted to talk to you about-" She glanced at Kayley with worry. "About someone's condition. I heard you talking with your cousin, and I guessed you wanted to be alone. You're feeling guilty that you weren't there to see Hazel off, right?"

She never ceases to amaze me. I had to smile. "Yeah. Charlie was really surprised about it, though. Apparently, Hazel tried to put up a fight at first, but then her mother had a long talk with her. She went away willingly, and she said to Charlie that it'll be better for them both."

"It probably is," Kayley commented. "I mean, they don't burn down letters at the school, do they? They'll have more contact than they did when they were right next door to each other."

"Helps that my mom gave Hazel her law books," I agreed. "What's weird is that at one point my mom said it seemed that she wouldn't accept them. She was about to say something that started with an 'n,' and I thought she was actually going to say that she didn't need them. Then Mom said Honey shook her head, and she took them and said thank you to Mom."

"Honey also promised to let Charlie get Hazel's letters, right?" Juliet questioned. "Since the only people who can write to her are her family or people in the Guard."

"Yep," I replied. Then I realized what Kayley did. "Hey, you're trying to distract us!"

"Darn. It almost worked."

"Okay, Kayley, whatever's happening to you now, spill it," Juliet ordered.

"What's gonna make me?"

"I can," she warned.

"Oh, blackmail? Didn't know you had it in you, Capulet,' said Kayley coldly.

Juliet tensed up. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Of course you didn't," Kayley said. "It doesn't matter, okay? Let's just focus on what we have to worry about right now. The upcoming the duel, the current guard in our hideout, what's making Hanso so depressed…"

"I thought we already decided it was Hazel," she murmured.

"It probably is," she agreed. "But there's something else, too." She glanced at me shrewdly. "There's something you're not telling us, Hanso. Something you haven't been telling us for months, and it's bothering you."

"It's nothing," I said quickly.

"Hanso, you are a terrible liar."

"I have to agree on that one," said Juliet, smiling a bit. "Come on. Kayley refuses to speak a word. Maybe if you say something it'll be good enough to make a deal."

"I might be willing to compromise," the black Acara considered.

I was getting desperate. "Seriously, nothing is-" I saw the hurt expression on Juliet's face. She didn't like to be lied to twice.

"Spit it out already," said Kayley wearily. "I'm sure it isn't that big of a problem."

"Yeah? I guess my dad dying in Terror Mountain isn't too big of a deal," I said angrily.

There was complete silence.

The girls just stared at me. Juliet's eyes widened; and she covered her mouth with her hands. She looked at me with sympathy and shock, even though I didn't really want it. She was sweet and all, but tears weren't what I needed right now. Kayley, on the other hand, merely raised her eyebrows. She crossed her arms, as if she didn't believe it. "Are you quite sure of that?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your dad's every bit as resourceful as you are. I doubt that he'd go down without a fight," said Kayley matter-of-factly. "I'm having doubts that he went down at all."

"I haven't received a letter in months. There was this huge massacre, and barely anyone was left alive." I shook my head. "It was in the middle of a frozen wasteland. How could anybody survive-"

"Like the Bori did? Like Kanrik did? You're underestimating your own father."

"Kanrik said so."

Kayley laughed icily. "Do you know how pathetic that sounds? _Kanrik said so._"

I wanted to slap her there and then, but Juliet intervened. "That's not a very nice thing to say. How would you know?" Kayley's eyes turned distant. For a few minutes, she didn't move. "Uh, Kayley?" Juliet waved her hand. "Hello?"

Then something very creepy happened. In fact, if Juliet had gasped out loud beside me, I wouldn't have been sure it happened at all. Kayley's eyes, usually the color of grey steel, sharpened dramatically, becoming orbs of silvery moonlight. Enchanting. Powerful. Dangerous. Then Kayley shrieked, as if waking from a bad dream, and her eyes faded to normal again. "Fyora," she groaned. "Too far, too soon. I promised I wouldn't do it again. I promised." Then she realized that we were still there. "Darn."

"What the heck was that?" I said, staring at her.

"I shouldn't have done it," she muttered. "Too little experience, and he could be tracking me." She looked at the shadows wearily, as if they would jump out at her. "No…not yet."

"Stop it," Juliet snapped.

"Stop what?"

"Acting weird!"

I could've laughed, but I kept my tone serious. "We know something's wrong. Why won't you tell us?"

"You'd feel guilty," Kayley answered. "This isn't something for you two to worry about."

"So we're just too little kids meddling with grown up business?" I challenged.

She frowned and looked away. "I didn't find out anything. Terror Mountain is too far. I suppose your father _could_ be dead, but personally, I don't think so. He'd fight for you and your mom."

"Again with changing the subject!" I said, annoyed. She just rolled her eyes and walked away. "What is _with _her and all these secrets?"

Juliet chuckled lightly. "Maybe she's right. We're getting a bit too nosy; we should worry about the things that's happening now."

"But she's getting so sick," I said, concerned.

"Aw. You're worried," she cooed.

I frowned. "I am _not _worried."

"Then you don't need to know what's happening to Kayley," she concluded.

She had cornered me. I just shrugged. "Fine. But once the whole Guild thing's sorted out, we're going to grab Kayley and force her to tell us what's going on."

"Maybe we can find a more peaceful way to convince her," she said, stifling a giggle.

"Easy for you to say," I grumbled. "You get along with everybody."

Her smile faded. "Not _everybody_, Hanso." Before I could interrogate her, she exclaimed, "Oh, there's Julius! I have to ask him about this fighting style. See you later." She jogged to her brother, a little too enthusiastically.

I have to wonder if Kayley's the only one keeping secrets.

Week 2

I'm getting really worried about Sam now. He's been living in the Guild since last week, but like Kayley, not everyone's okay with it. I guess it's like expecting guards to welcome a thief. Anyways, he went out for a little while, and I decided to follow him. I've heard a little bit from snatches of conversations I heard (of Sharon, of course) that Brynn and her group had sneaked after him several times and got caught. Still, stealth really isn't their thing. I bet that if it came to combat, the person would be sliced and diced. But going after someone? Nope. The same is true for thieves. That's why it's so rare to have somebody really good at fighting—we all usually only know the basic defense moves.

Leave it to Kayley and Julius to be the best warriors in the Guild.

Sam was good—better than what I expected a guard to be, in any case. But he didn't have three years of stealth training under his belt, and he could only detect so much. He eventually went by this tree and began practicing. That, he was _more_ than good. _Great_. Better than Brynn, though I guess I can't really compare them since he's older than her (she'll probably be as good as him – better! – when she's that age).

"Good show, sweetheart," said a voice. "But you'll never beat me using those moves."

Sam stopped. "What do you want, Masila? I'm not changing my mind. My mom needs me."

"And you think I killed your dad," she added.

"Well, didn't you?"

"I'm not going to answer that," Masila said primly. "But I will say that he was a hot-headed fool, blinded by his own hatred. I'd hate to let that happen to you. You're not going to beat me, darling, and you know it."

"My dad was not a fool," he snapped. "He was brave, and he gave his life up-"

"Needlessly and recklessly," Masila finished.

"Shut up!" he shouted at her. "Just because I liked you once doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on you."

She laughed. "Go easy on me? Sweetheart, I think someone's gotten a bit full of himself. You may be better than a few bullies, and hey, maybe even a few thieves, but that doesn't mean you'll be able to compete. I do know the guard techniques." She stepped close. "You know there's only one way to win."

"And that's if I use your own moves against you?" he said sarcastically.

"You already are. Sneaking around? Listening if your friends are following you?" She paused. "By the way, you really should work on that."

"Why? Somebody else is following me? Give it a break, I've been real careful when I was coming here." Okay, maybe he _was _getting a bit arrogant. Masila didn't reveal where I was, though I knew she realized I was there. She probably didn't mind if I listened or not. "Why do you keep trying to stop me, anyway? It's not as if you actually care."

There was a short silence. "Because we're family?" she said, in amused tone. She was lying, but it was easy to tell whether you were truth-speaker or not. "Because I see potential?" She grinned. "Because you were the cutest lil' nephew ever?" Despite himself, Sam cracked a smile.

"Maybe because you see yourself a better aunt than Morgana," he put in.

She closed her eyes. "Don't mention her. Please."

"You _are _intimidated by the fact that we're allied with her," he marveled. "I guess she was your evil aunt, huh?"

"I'd be hurt if you hate me as much as I hate her," she told him. Interesting to note. I wonder what Morgana did to make even the Mistress of Double-cross shudder at her name. Master Serpent certainly isn't telling. In fact, he's been irritated with Kanrik for weeks. "In any case, if it weren't for someone warning me she was coming, I probably would've seemed scared. So take that as a little consolation prize."

"You have another spy!" he accused. "Sasha?"

"Please. This person is definitely not a spy—he's completely loyal to…well, I'm not sure who he's loyal to, but it's not me. As for Sasha, the little minx cleared off ages ago, after telling me that someone….had a special talent. You know her as Violet's little sister."

"Oh, you know who my girls are now, do you?"

"Yes. They're much more determined than I thought." She sighed dramatically. "Sadly, the little girl's gone off to some boarding school. Someone or another must have warned her mother." I nearly gasped. So maybe there was a hidden motive in Honey's shipping her daughter away to that awful academy.

"Good thing for her," he said. "So what do you want?"

She glared at him. "Would it surprise you so much if I say that I do care?" He stared at her, but she continued, "Of course it will. Even if you do think I'm being honest, you'll be eager to fight and risk your life anyway-"

"I don't want to fight!" he tried to yell, but his voice cracked like he was going to cry. For a second, he looked away. "I don't want to fight," he repeated, but a lot softer. "But I promised. They're making me."

"No one's making you, darling."

"They might as well be. I can't let them down."

"I see." She had a sad, regretful smile on her face. She straightened. "Well, I suppose we'll just hope everything will work out for the best in the end, hmm? And we'll both accept that we did what we have to do. I apologize for any harm I might inflict on you during the end of this month."

"I'm sorry if I hurt you too, Auntie."

She eyed him for a second. "Why _don't_ you want to fight, anyway?"

"Would it surprise you so much if I say that I do care?" he said.

She tousled his hair. "Things will work out, Sammy. I promise."

"You have a plan, don't you?"

"Naturally." She started in one direction, but then stopped and turned around. "A word of advice, sweetheart," she said, and I knew this was meant for me as well as Sam. "It's not _that _you win, it's _what _you win that counts."

(Line)

I walked around the Guild, trying to find Marie. Her house was locked and I wanted to peer in the crystal ball again. But of course, the Guild was flooded with people bustling around, jostling me, and calling rude things that I'd rather not write down. Brynn had it easy with Harry. He's just a kid, and the guard rules restrict him from doing any lasting damage. Here, even the adults are after me. I kept walking.

"Tyler," I heard an annoyed voice saying. "I swear, I didn't touch your stupid letter-notebook. Someone else must've ripped a page from it. Why do you need it, anyway? Was there something important in there?"

"No," he snapped. "But I want the _full _and _complete _contents inside."

"Why? You know you're never going to be able to send it to where your friend is." There was a pause. "I'm sorry. That was mean, wasn't it?"

"I know. But who else could it be? Jordan's off traveling, and even Kenny and Jerry wouldn't do this in one of their pranks."

At that moment, the crowd cleared and they bumped into me. Papers scattered everywhere. A Poogle with dirty-blond hair was trying wildly to get everything before it scattered, and Tyler and I were trying to help. "Oh, Fyora," she muttered. "Kanrik's gonna kill me. He wanted these about five minutes ago."

"Chillax, sis," Tyler instructed. "The Guild leader's not that mean."

"He's scary," she told him.

I nearly snorted. "It's okay. Just tell him Hanso did it and he'll let you off."

She looked up, surprised. "So _you're _the Hanso everyone's been talking about," she said, staring at me. She held up a hand to shake. "I'm Bridgette….Kanrik's personal assistant, I guess you can say." That made sense. With her hair in a bun and her glasses, she looked like a very organized person. I was guessing she had a pretty high rank, maybe an Infiltrator who got excused from her duties. "This is my brother, Tyler. He's about your age."

"We've met," he said, giving me a slight grin.

"Yeah, about that….I think I know what happened to your letter-thingy." I took it out from my pocket. I'd already written a copy in my journal, anyway. I gave it to him. He stared at me with shock. "It's a bit crumpled, though. Flynn—er, my teacher's bird—he gave it to me."

"You read it, didn't you?"

"Uh…."

"It's cool." He examined it and smiled. "In fact, I probably would've wanted you to read it."

"How about me?" Bridgette complained. She looked over his shoulder. "Oh, yes. You gotta remember that not all of us hate you, Hanso."

"Um, thanks," I said awkwardly. I hesitated for a moment. "Who were you sending it to?"

His smile faded. "Nobody. At least, nobody who can read it anymore." He wasn't lying.

Bridgette stood there uneasily. "Okay, I have to get these down to Kanrik. Um, you're looking for Marie, right? She left a few minutes ago. I think she was heading back to her house."

Right where I began. Great. "Thanks." I stopped. "Sorry about your dad."

"Yours, too," they both said. None of us were smiling now.

(Line)

"Marie?" I said, knocking on the door.

"In here," she called. "It's open. Sorry, it's just been busy busy busy so far." I entered, and I saw she was right. The place was a mess, as if a few thieves have stayed there.

"What happened?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle," she said with a smirk. "Those idiots think that they can ambush me? Please. They've forgotten that Masila herself had taught me when we were younger. I might not be quite as good as her, but I can defend myself." She looked at the clock. "Oh, I'm behind schedule."

"Seems like everyone today is," I muttered.

"You can use the crystal ball," she said. "But you're going to have to use it yourself."

"That's fine. I'm pretty good with it already."

She gave me a brief nod and went out of her house again, probably on the way to the Thieves' Guild. I approached the crystal ball warily, and then closed my eyes, beginning to imagine where I left off in my parent's story. Then I stopped. Did I really need to know that right now? I thought. No. There was one piece of information I wanted, and it'd be more helpful than finding out how Mom settled in the Guild. I concentrated. _Show me the first time Masila visited Sam…._

(Line)

It was a sunny day, to my surprise. Okay, don't laugh, but I was picturing more of a 'dark and story night' stuff, with Masila probably creeping inside like a shadow. I know it doesn't make sense, but hey, can you blame me? It was really peaceful. Kids were laughing everywhere, a lady was washing her clothes, humming, and a sweet breeze went all around them. Meanwhile, a lady in a cloak entered the kingdom of Brightvale.

She hesitated for a moment, and took off her hood. I've got to admit, she really was pretty, with her kaleidoscope eyes and ivy-colored locks. Really _is _pretty, too, though you can't tell much because of how long she keeps her hood on. Not your typical kind-and-compassionate pretty, like Marie or Mom or Juliet, nor your don't-mess-with-me-I-can-take-care-of-myself like Brynn or Kayley or Janice. She had a unique look all her own, dark and alluring.

"Now where can my little sister be?" she muttered, looking around. Suddenly, a kid's ball went flying and went near her. She picked it up, amused. I looked to see who the kid was: Sam, five or six years old.

He looked at her with his big eyes questioningly. "Uh, lady, can I have my ball back?" Then she did something unexpected. She smiled at him and twirled the ball with a finger, and then tossed it to him while it was still spinning. He caught it easily, his eyes widening even more in amazement. "Wow! Can you show me that?"

"Sorry, sweetheart, I'm in a bit of a hurry," she told him.

Her smile put him at ease…so much that he turned to his friends and threw the ball to them. "Meet ya guys later!" he said. There was a chorus of 'Aw' but he didn't pay any mind to them. "Come on, people," he told them, his voice getting a convincing tone. "I'm sure you can have some fun without me. Maybe you can play Mynci in the middle!" They all nodded, but some still begged him to come with them.

Instead, he ran after Masila. She seemed surprised to have a little tag-along, and a very persuasive one at that. "Where ya headed?" he chirped. "You look lost."

She laughed; not evil laughter, just a sweet, free sound that sounded like music. "Is it really that obvious?"

"Yep," he replied, having that brutally honest little kid streak.

"Okay, darling, maybe you can help. Do you know anyone here who's called Marie?"

"Oh, yeah!" he said happily. "My mama."

Her smile faded a bit. "What?"

"Marie Ritch," he said, oblivious to her shock. "She likes making cookies and stuff."

"I see. What's your name?"

"Samuel Ritch." He made a face. "It's a weird name, and it's so serious! So Daddy calls me Sam. You can call me that too, if you want."

"Sam. All right. Would you please take me to your mother?" He nodded and took her hand, cheerfully telling her stories about the kingdom and the sites she might want to visit. I followed after them. She grinned as he kept chattering away. "And then you can go to the creek, it's awesome to jump in-" He paused. "Except, well, girls don't like jumping in creeks. They like playing with dolls, right? Or sewing, since you're grown-up."

"Sam," she scolded playfully. "That's sexist! Girls can jump in creeks, too."

"Have you ever jumped in a creek?" he countered.

"No, but that's because I've lived in Terror Mountain."

"Oooooh," he said, fascinated. "Mama's from Terror Mountain. Kanrik's from Terror Mountain!"

This time, Masila's face changed to a scowl. "I know."

Innocently, he said, "Hey, that's okay! I'll teach you how to jump in the creek!"

"How generous of you," she said, smiling again.

"And maybe I can convince some of my friends to go." He looked at her doubtfully. "I still don't think the girls can-"

"Oh, Sam, one day I'm sure someone's going to sweep you off your feet and show you that girls can do as much as boys can," she said, shaking her head.

"Kay," he said. "If you say so. But even when I use my 'obeying' voice, I don't think they-"

"Wait, what? Your 'obeying' voice?"

"Yeah," he said. "When I use it, everybody does what I say. It's so cool! But mama says I mustn't ever use it. But it's so much fun."

"Then you really are my nephew," she muttered.

"Wanna see?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "Perhaps later. I have an 'obeying voice,' too, you know."

"Really? Awesome! Oh, there it is," he said, pointing at Marie's house. "Want me to go and introduce you first?"

"Please do," she replied. She followed as he dashed indoors, her eyebrows rising at the pictures that adorned the walls.

"Mama! Mama!" his voice rang from another room.

"Sam," Marie said. Masila closed her eyes briefly, as if irritated. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to go play with your friends."

"Yeah, I did," he told her. "But then I met this nice lady-"

"Samuel Ritch, what have I told you about talking to strangers?"

There was a pause. "Not to do it?" he said sulkily.

"That's right. You can't just go talking to strange ladies!"

"But she wasn't strange! She was nice. She showed me how to twirl a ball and stuff."

"That's still no reason to-"

"And she has an obeying voice, too!"

There was a long, long silence. Marie was probably taking it all in. I wondered briefly what was happening in there, but I decided to stay put. "An….obeying voice, you say? Um, Sam, where exactly is this lady now?"

"She's out there in the hall!" he said excitedly. "She said she was looking for someone called Marie, and I said that you were my mama and that your name was Marie, too, and-"

"Oh, Fyora." I heard a tumble of items crashing, a bit of cursing, and then Marie was there in the hallway. Masila was back was turned, still examining the pictures, and her hood was on, but she knew her sister was there. "Masila? Is that really you?"

"Is that the greeting I get after years of presumed death?" Masila said dryly. Before she could continue, though, she was enveloped in a tight hug. "Ow! Watch it, Marie!"

"Fyora, you're alive!" Marie squealed happily, not letting go of her sister.

"Not for much longer if you keep crushing me."

"Sorry," Marie apologized, backing off. But she couldn't stop grinning. "Wait till Master Serpent hears about this. He'll be thrilled! And Kanrik…" she trailed off. "Hm. What will Kanrik say?"

"Nothing," Masila snapped.

Marie looked confused. "What? Of course he's going to say something. He's your best-"

"Was," Masila corrected harshly.

Marie arched an eyebrow. "Well. You're not telling me that the rumors are true, then? About what happened on the Mountain?"

Masila shrugged. "More or less," she said.

"But they can't be. That means that you're a traitor."

"Which is exactly why you can't tell anyone I'm here," she finished.

Marie's eyes widened. "That's impossible. You aren't capable of doing those things."

"Marie," said Masila, "I think we can agree I can do anything I set my mind to."

"But why? You _liked _him!"

"Oh, enough of that," Masila groaned.

"Even if I do agree not to tell anyone, it's impossible to hide from the Thieves' Guild here," she said. "There are thieves all over the place."

"Aren't you one?"

"…well," Marie said hesitantly.

Masila stared at her. "You got kicked out too? Now _that's _impossible."

"Not exactly kicked out," she said defensively. "Just…let go."

"Why?"

"You don't know who my husband is, do you?"

"No. And frankly, little sister, I think you were a much too young when you got married, if I'm right about Sam's age. Not to mention your string of unsuccessful boyfriends you used to have, your temper tantrums, and the fact that you threw away your whole life to be with—who is this guy?"

Marie glared at her. "Sir John Ritch."

Masila's jaw dropped. "A _guard_? You married a _guard_?"

"Technically, he's a general," said Marie. "But yes. And I'll have you know, I'm still quite happy with him."

"Oh, really?" Masila said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Where's he now?"

"At work."

"Mmm. And what time does he get home?"

"Um, around nine? Sometimes he stays at the base overnight."

"And what time does he go to work?"

"Five a.m."

"How many days is he at the Guard?"

"Six days a week."

Whoa. My parents are always back at six, eight at the latest, and they spend all day together anyway. I guess some people aren't that lucky.

"You barely see him at all!" Masila exploded. She did have a point. "How can you tell that you're happy 'with' him?"

"I just can," said Marie stubbornly. The two sisters glowered at each other. Finally, Marie sighed. "Look. I'm glad that you're back, okay? But I don't need protecting anymore. I'm fine. And I don't want to argue with you. I'm married, and there's nothing you can do about it."

Masila shook her head. "I suppose not."

"We'll work out how you're going to stay," Marie assured her, brightening up a bit. "We-"

"I'm not staying, Marie," Masila interrupted. She paused. "Though I do thank you for your offer. It means a lot."

"You're leaving?" said a pitiful voice. Both of them turned around to see Sam, his lip quivering. "I don't want you to go! You were supposed to go the creek with me, and all around Brightvale, and then maybe you can show me more tricks with the ball, and then-" He latched himself on her leg, refusing to let go.

"He obviously likes you," Marie noted.

"As sweet as that is," Masila said, unfastening Sam from her leg and scooping him up, "I only came here for one reason."

"What's that?" said Marie suspiciously.

"Remember that necklace we used to steal back and forth from each other?"

Marie grinned. "Yes."

"Do you still have it? As I recall, you grabbed it from my neck by hanging upside down from a tree last time."

"Of course," Marie said, smiling. "I remember I had pine-needles stuck on my hair for a week."

"Perfect. I need it."

"No."

"What? But Marie-" She started, using a persuasive voice.

"You're going to have to search for it first," Marie said, smirking. "It's been years since I saw you, Sila. Do you really think I'm going to let you go that easily? If you really want the necklace, it's in the house. You're staying with us until you find it. Besides, simply giving you the necklace is against the rules. And we must always follow the rules. Right, Sam?"

"Yeah!"

"But-"

Before Masila could say another word, Sam went and threw his arms around her. "Please don't go. Your mama's sister, right? That makes you my auntie. I've never had an auntie before." He cuddled her. That's what I call using your little kid cuteness to the max.

"You're using your obeying voice now, aren't you?" Masila said.

"Maybe."

"Little minx," Masila said, shaking her head. "How long has he been able to do this?"

"For years," Marie admitted. "But…I've discouraged him from using it."

"You shouldn't do that, Marie. He won't be able to control it. It'll slip out of his mouth whether he likes it or not."

"If you say so," said Marie, in a tone that showed that she wasn't convinced. "So, are you staying?"

"I suppose so," she said in a monotone voice. But when Sam grinned delightedly at her, it was obvious she was trying not to smile.

(Line)

The orb dropped me off near a creek. Sam jumped in eagerly, and then shouted at something to Masila. She shook her head, grinning. He shouted to her again. She shook her head. At last he came up, soaked, and held his arms out as if he wanted to be hugged. She began to shake her head again, but he came after her, arms outstretched. She shrieked and ran away, but let her nephew catch up and pull her into a hug. "See?" he said triumphantly. "You're all wet now! You have to jump in."

"Water's too easy to track."

"Are you hiding from someone, Auntie?"

"Yes...sort of."

"Ooh! I love hide and seek!" he said happily. Then without warning, he pushed her in the water.

"Eep! Oh, Sam!" Masila squealed. She was soaked, too, her long, hair getting undone. She sighed. "Well, as long as I'm here," she muttered, and then began to float.

"Cool! I wanna do that!" Sam said, trying to float but ended up spluttering with water.

"Sammy," she reprimanded. "Didn't your father teach you to spread your arms _out_?"

"No," he murmured. "Daddy doesn't teach me anything much anymore. He's too busy."

"Mmm. That's too bad. You're too sweet a kid to ignore." She swam to him. "Now, if you want to float, you have to spread out."

"But what if I drown? I can't kick or wave my arms?"

"No. Sam, you won't drown. I'm here. Trust me."

"Okay, Auntie," he said obediently. And just like that, he began floating. "Hey! Look at me! Woo-hoo!"

"Yes, spectacular," she said, swimming towards the banks of the creek. She went to land and dried herself off, squeezing the water from out of her hair. Her cloak lay on the grass, abandoned.

Sam paddled to her and went to land, too. "You're pretty, Auntie," he said admiringly.

"Not the first word someone would use to describe me," she told him.

He began examining her cloak. "Oooh, what's this?" he asked, holding out her dagger. Instead of freaking out, like most adults do, she answered him matter-of-factly. He appeared fascinated. "Do we get to use these at the Guard?" he asked.

She arched an eyebrow. "You want to be a guard, don't you?"

"Well, yeah," he said, swinging his legs. "I wanna be just like Dad when I grow up."

"How nice. No, sweetheart, you don't use those at the Guard. You use swords, and there are a lot heavier and in my opinion, more troublesome. A dagger can be easily concealed, so you never know when the attacker will strike."

"Aw, too bad. It looks like a cool weapon." He turned it over again and put it respectfully on the grass. "Daddy said he'd help me with a wooden sword, but he never has the time."

Masila paused for a moment. "Well, sweetie, I'm no good with swords, but I have fought against some, and I always win. Do you want to learn how to use the dagger in the meantime?"

"Oh, yeah! That would be awesome." He looked at her. "Am I supposed to have a wooden and plastic one first? Daddy says that's what I need to practice."

"Oh, no, Sammy," she said, ruffling his hair. "With daggers, you always get it at the first try or you fail. Simple is that. No 'training daggers' whatsoever. You can have that one, if you like."

"Really?"

"Yes." She took another one from her cloak. "I have a lot more."

(Line)

"I don't like her."

"John!"

"Well, I don't. Why did you invite her to stay with us, again? She comes and goes as she pleases! Do you have any idea how much trouble I can get if the Guard realizes I'm housing the Mistress of Double Cross herself?" He glared at Marie.

"Don't call her by that ridiculous nickname," she snapped. "She's my sister, and Sam adores her." She looked at him, a bit on amusement on her face. "Is that why you're so cranky? Because you're jealous?"

He shook his head in disgust. "I finally get some time off work, and my boy would rather play with that…that villain."

"John, please…."

"She's teaching him to use a dagger, for Fyora's sake! The weapons that are usually reserved for thieves." He eyed her. "You said when we got married that you completely cast off ties from the Thieves' Guild."

"I did. I quit, remember?"

"Then what's she doing here?"

"I told you, this has nothing to do with the Thieves' Guild. Quite the opposite, actually. Masila wants this necklace that I have. It's been a challenge since we were kids to steal it back from one another, and she has yet to find it. I invited her to stay until she does."

"Then give it to her!"

"That's not how it works," Marie said gently. "And Samuel will hardly be pleased with me. Look at him."

The couple was peering out the window, at Masila teaching Sam. Their voices and shrieks of laughter were heard through the window pane. "No, not like that, darling. Here. See? Go on, Sam, just like I showed you." Sam swiped and did this complex maneuver with the dagger, and then brought it down on the grass. "That's right! You're better than many other people I've seen, even the adults." I had to admit, whoever she was, and no matter how evil she may be, no aunt could resist cooing over her nephew.

"Thanks, Auntie."

Sir John growled at the name. "How can he even call her that, after what happened a few days ago?"

"It was an _accident_, John. She stated to us quite clearly that she was handling something dangerous and to keep back, but when you were calling Sam he felt he had to come forward. She was completely sorry for what had happened. You had no right to try and use that opportunity to turn Sam against her! She's his aunt."

"And I'm his _father_," he emphasized. "That rather outranks the title, doesn't it?"

"Ranks?" Marie spluttered. "Ranks? Is that what it's all about to you? This is a family, not a team or whatever you call your little guard groups. The point is that he _loves _her."

"Marie, I think you're deluding yourself that she was the same person she was years ago."

"No, I'm not. I know she isn't." There was a sad smile on Marie's lips. "But whatever happens, she's still my sister, and still Sam's 'auntie.' Nothing can ever change that."

"She was handling a dangerous dark artefact!"

"Back to that again? It was an accident, John!"

"She's evil. She'll kill us all the first chance she gets." Marie shook her head. "You're really that stubborn about this, are you? I thought you left it all behind when you left the Thieves' Guild." He stood up. "Right. I'm going to the Guard's base for an overnight shift. Think about whether you value your sister or your husband more."

"What? But, John…" She ran after him to the door, her face desperate.

He looked back at her one more time. "I'll see you tomorrow, Marie. Think about it."

(Line)

Something was wrong. I wasn't anywhere at all—at least, not that I knew off. I was in swirling mass of colors, going round and round and round. I felt like I was about to throw up, but I couldn't. It wasn't even possible. I think I knew what was happening. The orb was trying to show me a forbidden part of the past, one that was blocked by someone or another. "Skip it," I mumbled, trying not to vomit. "I'm sure it isn't that important."

If the orb was a person, I'm pretty sure it would've screamed at me that it _was _important. I'm not sure how I knew this, but the orb had some kind of consciousness, more so than an ordinary magical item. It could think. And it was desperately trying to show me something.

"Skip it," I repeated. "Please. Maybe I can fill in the holes when I see the other memories."

After one last try, the orb relented, sending me to the dark and stormy night I thought of at first.

(Line)

This was not the day after Sir John had told Marie to make her choice. This was weeks later, though what happened then I didn't know. All I could figure out was that Marie was crying, wailing really, in a heap on the floor. Sam was nowhere in sight, probably scared to see his mother at such a state. I know I would. Marie was screaming, completely hysterical. I never I saw the real her like this, nor did I ever want to.

Masila was there, trying to hold on to her. "Marie, please..."

"Let go of me!"

"Let go of him, first," she told her sister gently. "He's gone, and he's not going to come back. You have to accept it before you can heal."

"No!" she shrieked.

"For Sam's sake," Masila pleaded.

"No," Marie said, but there wasn't just sadness in her voice anymore. There was anger, too. "You killed him, didn't you?"

"_What_?" I don't know whether the shock was genuine or not. Like Kayley once said, it was too hard to tell with such few words.

"You killed John!" Thunder crackled overhead. "I know it. You went away the last few weeks, including the time he was killed. You never liked him, he was a guard, you told me yourself that you never believed I would marry him…"

"Because you were too young!" Masila snapped, all traces of gentleness forgotten. "And, well, I'll always be protective of you. You're my sister."

"That didn't mean anything to you, now, did it?" Marie scrambled backwards. "I don't need your protection. All I need for you to do right now is to leave me ALONE!" She began pacing. "I should've listened to him. I should've known that you…that you…" She began sobbing again. "You killed your own brother-in-law in cold blood. And that's not all, isn't it? You were responsible for that incident with that Summer Vines, weren't you?" Masila stiffened. "I hate you!"

Masila pursed her lips. "All right, Marie. Believe what you will." She began going out the backdoor in the kitchen. Then she remembered something. She went to a jar supposedly filled with sugar and took the necklace out. "Stupid thing," she muttered. "I've known where it was since the first night I got here. Why didn't I just take it and leave?"

"You're leaving?" Sam's voice rang out again. But now he looked ten or eleven or so. At this point, I'd be six, I think.

She whirled around. Despite everything, she had a guilty expression on her face. "Sammy, I'm so sorry, but I have to-"

"Don't go!" Sam pleaded with her again. It was obvious that he wasn't a little kid anymore, but he still wasn't over begging. "Mum leaves sometimes. She goes to visit her friends in the Thieves' Guild. Dad was always at the guard, and now…" He bit his lip. "Everyone goes. But you never do. Please don't leave."

"Oh, Sammy, it'd be better for you and your mother if I left. Truly." She sighed. "One day you'll be glad of the fact, darling. You'll learn to hate me, as everyone does."

I think I knew what she meant by that. He'd definitely be trained to be a guard, which meant he'd be learning about the villains of Neopia that he might have to fight someday. I wondered how long it would take for him to realize that his own beloved aunt was one of them.

"Hate you? Never." Masila's face was conflictive at Sam's sincere plea. "Please, don't-"

"I'm busy, Sam!" she snapped harshly, tugging herself away. I don't think Sam noticed her voice crack. "You're mother has to take care of herself now, as she has made clear that that is what she wants. And you…" She sighed again. "You'll grow up to be just like your father, ashamed of me."

"But-"

"Good-bye, Sam. Hope that we don't meet again." She slammed the door before the very confused boy. He didn't try to open it again. For a moment, Masila hesitated by a tree in the garden. She couldn't just leave them there, I knew. No one would be that heartless. With Marie in such a state, who knows what Sam could do to himself before she came back to her senses?

Then a tall silhouette appeared in the darkness. Despite the heavy rain and the shadows, I still recognized him as Kanrik. It would've been a perfect opportunity for Masila to stab him in the back now. In fact, she was preparing to do it, her dagger poised. Then she stopped.

He was going in to comfort Marie. He'd help Sam. At much as it pained her, I think she knew that she was leaving her sister in good hands…if she let him live. She seemed to have some sort of mental battle with herself. She pressed a hand to her head, as if she was getting a huge head-ache. A tiny voice in the back of my mind said that she had done this before, but I didn't think about it much. Masila then sighed, and then sheathed her dagger.

But she wasn't as careful as she should have been. A twig snapped.

Kanrik started and took out his own weapon. Before he could go and see the intruder, Masila snapped, "If you want to live, I don't advise you to turn around." Kanrik stiffened. Slowly, as if it hurt her to say the words, she continued, "Go inside and take care of them. I'll leave you all alone until he's prepared to deal with what would happen if you were to die. You have until then to live. Congratulations."

She disappeared before he could look back. It was so quick, so sudden, that he might've thought it all a dream.

Who knows? He probably did.

(Line)

I zapped back to the present. Wow. That answered a lot of questions, including why Masila had waited such a long time to try and kill Kanrik. It also showed why they were both so reluctant to try and kill each other (besides, you know, the gross bits…). Maybe Sam didn't remember much about his time with his aunt, but he still clearly loved her. And Masila….

_"I hate you!" _

I wondered how hurt she was when Sam said those words. Maybe last week made up for it. Weird, but I was kind of hoping that was the case, even though it wouldn't help our chances of winning the duel at the end of the month like I thought it would. I doubt that anyone actually thought that Sam would like her back. Stupid, now that I think about it, and as Kayley has so blatantly pointed out many times.

"Oh, there you are, dear." Marie entered and gave me a small smile. "Find any useful info?"

"Uh, yeah," I said uncomfortably. "I'm just not sure how I'm going to use it yet."

Week 3

"Wow, that _is _a pickle," Hannah said, munching on an apple. She had kept her promise, coming back to Brightvale just about every month, but Kanrik and the rest of the Guild (including me, admittedly) pretty much ignored her. Now, though, she seemed the perfect choice to confide in. "But I think the question you should ask is, what does it mean for you? Do you think Sam's going to betray you or something? Will it be harder for Masila?"

"I don't know what's going to happen," I said. "But I know it's something bad."

I wasn't the only one who was thinking this way. Kayley had become more and more irritable as the day of the duel came closer. She kept muttering to herself, shaking her head and swearing this was never going to work. At one point, when Kanrik had come to say something to Jacques, she asked him if he was really going to go through with the battle.

"Yes," he said, unblinkingly.

"But why?" she said, exasperated. "It's never going to work!"

"It's the only way that can work, or at least have a slight chance."

"Masila said it to you. Why would you listen to her?"

"She didn't expect who we were going to send to fight her."

"But what if she did?" she questioned. "What if she guessed who you guys were going to send, and decided she didn't care? This could all be a trap!"

"We'll have to risk it."

"Right. We're giving the responsibility of the entire Guild to a guard boy. It doesn't seem fair."

"I'm sorry, but I thought you didn't like guards."

"I don't. But he's helped us before, and I never wanted him _dead_."

"Frankly, little girl…Kayley, is it? I think I might know a little more of this situation than you do."

"But does that justify sending an adolescent to his death?" she challenged. Everyone stared at her, even Master Jacques. I doubt anyone had ever used words those big, let alone a ten year old. Privately, I agreed with her, but like Master Kanrik, I didn't really see we had much of a choice.

"Look, I'm the leader of the Thieves' Guild-"

"Then act like it!" she snapped, and before anyone could stop her, she walked out of the room. Last time I left Kanrik, he was still mad, angrier than even _I've_ ever made him. As for Kayley, well, no one knows where she is besides Juliet, and she already said that Kayley made it clear she wanted to be left alone. I did manage to have a confrontation with her earlier, though….

"Hello? Neopia to Hanso?" Hannah said, waving a hand in front of me. "Boy, you sure are distracted."

"I know," I said, frowning. "You can't help, can you?"

"Look, kid, Kanrik doesn't listen to me," Hannah said plainly. "We might be friends, but we're not that close. The next best thing is Marie, and he can't trust her judgment because it's her son we're sending out there, and your parents are more loyal to her than him. There's this Master Serpent guy, why don't you ask him?"

"Still mad at Kanrik because of Morgana, but he won't tell any of us why," I said unhappily. "Who would you trust if you were in his place?"

She snorted. "Are you kidding? I'd never do something like that! That's why Kanrik's the leader—he's the one who's going to make the tough choices, and people will blame him; like your little friend."

I thought about that for a few minutes before I continued. "Yeah, but if you were? Who would you talk to?"

"Garin and Jacques," she said unblinkingly. "They're my best friends."

"Really?" I said, surprised. "I never saw you talking to Master Jacques before."

She shrugged. "He's in a bad mood most of the time. He really is missing the seas. In my opinion, he never should have left. It's his home, no matter how annoying it is to me." She sighed. "The Golden Dubloon is my home, too, along with the caves. I think I'll have to go back soon, permanently. Without making too many return trips," she added for clarity.

"What? No!" I said desperately. "We can't do this alone!"

"I'm not much use here," she said, matter-of-factly. "This is thief business, and if there's something I was never good at, it's analyzing situations like these. Don't worry," she said when she saw my face. "I'll stay till next year. That'll give enough time for the whole thing to blow over, and to tie up any loose ends." She gave me a smile. "Don't worry so much. You're too young to be worrying about this anyway—relax a little."

"Kayley isn't," I grumbled.

"Little sourpuss." Hannah chuckled, shaking her head. "I have to admit, though, she gave Kanrik quite a talking-to only people would dream about. Come on, you have to admit, you wish you were the one who complained, if only to see his face!"

I grinned. Well, it was pretty funny. But it faded when I remembered something else Kayley told me.

I finally chased her down after Kanrik. "Are you mad?" I asked her once I caught up, panting. "Do you know what you could have done? Look, I know this is silly, but it _is _the only answer." She didn't look convinced. "Besides, even _I _don't think it's good to get Kanrik that mad. He _is _the leader of the Thieves' Guild."

"I have nothing to lose," she snapped.

"Nothing to lose?" I stared at her in disbelief. "Well, how about maybe, your _life_?" I know Kanrik would never take it that far, no matter how annoying someone would get, but some of his advisors have twisted thinking of proving themselves—even if it's against Guild rules. If they see Kayley as an enemy, and someone gets it in their head that Kanrik would be grateful for her being killed….

But she just laughed bitterly. "Not even that, Hanso. Not even that."

(Line)

Not knowing what else to do and feeling pretty useless, I went to visit Charlie. I felt a little guilty I haven't been doing that much, ever since this whole mess with our family has started. Mom had been looking after him, I know, making sure that he wasn't poorly treated again, but I knew he was pretty lonely without Hazel. We began going around the neighborhood, him pointing out the sites.

It was weird, thinking that if things were different I would've lived there.

I already knew were the playground was, but we headed there anyway, for old time's sake. But others were already there.

There was a girl – more of a lady, really, around eighteen or so – with long, flaxen hair and bright green eyes. Tears stained her face, as though she had been crying. A younger girl, probably around Ebony's age (around fifteen or sixteen) was there too. The two seemed to slightly resemble each other. Charlie seemed surprised to see them there. "Sapphire? Emerald? What are you guys doing here?"

The older girl looked at him. "I've reached the marrying age. I'm going to be betrothed."

"What?" Charlie looked dismayed. "Oh, Saph, I'm so sorry."

She sniffled. "Not your fault, Charlie. And at least I'm not going to go to a _bad _family."

"Who are you going to get betrothed to?"

"Arthur," she said softly. "I guess my parents chose him because he's one of my best friends."

"Doesn't he get to say no three times?" I pointed out.

"Used them all already," she said miserably. "He keeps apologizing to me. He doesn't want to get married either….to me, at least."

Charlie gave her a knowing smile. "Ruby?"

"Always," she said, nodding. "They like each other. And you know I like his brother, Lancelot." She gave a bitter laugh. "My new name is even supposed to be Guinevere. How's that for irony?"

"At least you'll get some nice alternative names," said Emerald, trying to cheer her up. "I can call you Gwen or something similar, right?"

"It's not fair," I said, and they all turned to stare at me. "It's not, right? Can't you run away or something?"

"We're not as prepared of running away as Aunt Liz," Charlie said. "We lack the skills, and her determination. Besides," he added lightly. "From what I learned from Auntie, the Thieves' Guild has more than enough mouths to feed."

"Oh, so you're Hanso," Sapphire said, smiling slightly. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too," I said politely.

She stood up and straightened. "I suppose there's nothing for it. I'll have to marry him." She hesitated. "My betrothal ceremony is at the Month of Sleeping. Do you think you guys can come? It'd make me feel a lot better."

"Of course!" Charlie answered quickly.

She smiled. "Thank you. I guess I should be grateful—there are a lot of people worse than Arthur, and he is pretty sweet. I just…Lancelot…." She shook her head, walking away.

Emerald sighed. "My, do I hate growing up." I looked her over. She had amazing, emerald-green eyes (that's probably why they named her that) and dark curly hair and fell around her shoulders, and even when she seemed so young, I had a feeling she had as much grace as any full-grown lady. But she still had a cheeky smile that suggested she was a humble, obedient servant.

"That your sister?" I asked.

"Cousin," she corrected. "I'm here on an…extended visit, you might say." She gave a rueful smile. "We are having problems about accessing our money, as my father seems to have lost the key for the bank. Our extended family has gladly taken us in." I was a little taken aback by how eloquent her speech sounded.

Charlie, though, had a small smirk on his face. "Strange, isn't it?"

Emerald raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean, Charlie?"

"That the time when you needed to be here for your cousin, but it would most definitely not be allowed, your father's key suddenly goes missing and suddenly you get an excuse to go here," he replied.

"I would call that more of a convenience," she said primly, but her small grin slowly spreading on her face was beginning to betray her.

"Give it up, Em," Charlie said exasperatedly, and she laughed and took her key out of her pocket. "Honestly, you're more of a thief than my cousin."

"Is that such a bad thing?" she asked. "Or is that a compliment. After all, he's a very handsome thief." She chuckled at our discomfort. "How's Lady Hazel?" she asked changing the subject.

"In the academy," Charlie said sadly.

"Oh. What a pity." She didn't seem that regretful about it, I noticed. "I do have some information you might want to take into account, though. Sasha has come back to the neighborhood."

"What?" Charlie shrieked.

She clucked, shaking her head. "You haven't been keeping up a very good watch. She's residing with a few friends of hers—the family named after famous musicians."

"I thought she was just a maid or something," I told her. "Why do they let her come?"

"I doubt they barely notice she's there," she replied. "She's very discreet, in my opinion, and that family is just a pile of old drunkards. Fyora help Lady Hazel if her cousin, Ivy, and Sasha come calling at the same time." I decided I wasn't going to ask about Ivy yet. It was a bad enough day, and Hazel was safe at the Academy at least.

"So, when you are going to give back the key?" Charlie questioned.

"Oh, I don't know," Emerald said wonderingly. "Perhaps the Month of Awakening, maybe a little longer if it's possible. After all," she said, giving Charlie a charming smile, "Sapphire is not the _only _reason why I've wanted to visit. It's been far too long since you've been to Meridell, and you haven't even sent a single letter."

Charlie looked shame-faced. "Sorry. I was too preoccupied about Hazel at the time."

"You're always preoccupied with Hazel. Perhaps it's good for you both to spend some time away from each other," she said in clipped tones. She shrugged. "Still, she is lucky. Not many would have been so concerned for her. I do hope that you can come visiting more often, though…and vice versa."

"Of course," he said. "In fact, do you want to come for tea now?"

"If I'm not intruding," she said, looking at me. It was scary, how those emerald eyes seemed to intimidate me—not in a bad way, I guess, more like she was staring down at my soul and contemplating it. Yeah, scary.

"Uh, no, not intruding," I said quickly.

She smiled graciously, and we went to Charlie's house, both of them chattering about things that were happening. I didn't know what I thought about Emerald yet. She seemed interesting, I guess, and at least nice at some degree, with her wanting to be here for Sapphire. The fact that she actually stole her father's bank key made her worth a second look.

But I'm not sure I entirely trust her yet.

Charlie seemed to, though. I guessed that they were old friends—she wasn't from Meridell exactly, but she lived in a small, nearby kingdom called Richmond and came there often. Despite myself, I felt a little relieved. I wouldn't have to worry so much about being here all the time. "So, Em," Charlie began. "Why didn't your _other _family in Richmond didn't take you in?"

"You mean my uncle, don't you?" she said, smirking. "You know how he is. While he still has hope, he doesn't mind my family and especially me and my brother being treated as poorly as possible."

"Hope for what?" I said, confused.

"For getting an heir." She left it at that.

Mrs. Daley raised her eyebrows when she came in. "Why, Emerald, what a pleasant surprise!"

"Mrs. Daley," she greeted, giving her a curtsy. But I could tell her smile became a little more uneasy.

"Impeccable manners, as always," the lady approved. "You'd do well to take her example, Charlie."

"Oh, I'm sorry, would you like me to curtsy too?" he teased.

"None of that cheek, young man." She ruffled his hair and then set off for the kitchen.

Emerald stared after her, frowning. "Is something wrong, Em?" Charlie asked.

"Oh, no, just…never mind," she said. "Probably nothing…you can do." He looked confused, but didn't comment on it. Emerald seated herself on the sofa. "So, Hanso, you're a thief, correct?"

"Yeah," I said cautiously.

"No worries," she laughed lightly. "I'm not about to turn you over to the guards. But I have heard that you're in some kind of conflict now."

"Yes," I confirmed. I glared at Charlie, but he held his hands up, as if to say _I didn't tell her anything! _

"Charlie didn't say anything," Emerald confirmed. "I'm just curious as to matters such as these, I suppose. They're always fascinating, especially if they include certain people." She had a sparkle of mischief in her eyes. I decided that I liked her.

"What made thieves catch your pretty green eyes?" I asked, getting in step to her compliments.

She smirked. "I used to know a thief, myself. Still do, in fact, although that one doesn't know I'm here." I blinked. "Yes, Charlie is not the only one associate with the lower class...um, no offense," she said, turning red when she realized that she had just called me lower class.

"None taken," I said. A lot of people had called me 'lower class' in Uptown. She was the only one ever to have apologized for it. "Do you want me to find your friend for you?"

"Oh, no," she said, a small smile playing on her lips. "You'd deem it a most unpleasant task. Anyway, that person would not want me here."

"Why not?" Charlie asked.

"Well, you know what people think about rich kids," she replied. "Fragile and need taking care of."

"True," he said, shooting me a look. "But you never said that's your friend's opinion."

She laughed. "You know me too well. All right, she doesn't want me here because she doesn't want me interfering, or watching what she's doing."

"She?" I asked, puzzled.

Charlie also began getting suspicious. "Em, I know you and Saph are particularly close, and I know that you wanted to visit me, but is this really the only reason you're here?"

"No," she admitted.

"Then what is?"

"I can't tell you that, I'm afraid. What I will tell you is that she didn't ask me to come, she probably doesn't want me to come, and most of the reason why I did come is for Sapphire and you…and I suppose a little curiosity in what she's up to," she said slyly. "She's very circumspect. The only reason why I do know she's here is because….someone told me." She smiled. "I know I can trust this person. Said to give you a heads-up."

I stared at her. What would Masila be doing with a rich kid? I believe Emerald when she said that Masila probably wouldn't have wanted her to come, but then who talked to Emerald? Masila's spy? Was that person actually trying to betray the Mistress of Double-cross? Something about Emerald's tilt of the chin, though, made me think that she wouldn't tell me who it was or why the person was doing it. Did I have some mysterious ally looking after me?

"She once said," she continued, "That I had a gift of seeing what other people couldn't."

"Like what?" I asked. I wasn't going to go back on my deciding to like her but I still didn't trust her much, especially now.

"Never mind that, for now," she said, sweetly. "Oh, look! Tea."

"You kids been playing nice?" said Mrs. Daley. "My. Such hostile looks. What have you been doing to them, Emerald?"

"Nothing," she said innocently. "So, Charlie," she said once Mrs. Daley was out of earshot. "How long has Mrs. Daley been working for your family?"

"Since I was small, I guess," he said. "She and her husband have been here ever since I could remember. Perhaps even before that."

"She worked when my mom was here, too," I realized.

"Don't you think it strange?" Emerald said softly. "How she worked here for such a long time?"

Charlie was about to answer, when a strange daze took hold of him. "No," he said dreamily. "Not strange at all."

I stared at him. "What?" I looked at Emerald to see if she was doing anything, but she shrugged. "Charlie, are you feeling okay?"

"What? Oh, yes, quite all right," he said. "But I don't think we should talk about this anymore."

"Why not?"

"Because…." He had a dreamy expression on his face again. "Because…."

"Charlie, may I see some of your albums?" Emerald enquired.

"Hm? Oh, yes, they're up on that shelf over there."

Emerald made her way to the indicated shelf and went to the oldest section where Charlie once said had the photos of our oldest known ancestors. She brushed some of the dust away and sat down next to me. Charlie didn't notice. He was in a world of his own. "What's wrong with him?" I asked urgently, but she shook her head.

"It's just a spell. It will pass," she promised. "I think this is what would happen if you ask your grandmother, your mother, or any other part of the maternal side of your family. I suppose your truth-speaking protects you from this."

"How did you know-?"

"Your frankness of speech. Your carefulness, acquired from years from blurting out too much. Yes, this is what I meant with seeing what other people couldn't," she said, nodding. "Now, look at this." She turned to the first page of the album, where the whole family was lined up. Slightly to the right were a few servants. She pointed to one lady. "Who does this remind you of?"

A chill crawled up my spine. "Mrs. Daley. But wait, that can't be her! That's like a hundred years old. This is probably her great grandmother or something. Right?"

She smiled at me, almost pityingly. Then she stood and cleaned herself. "I have to go. In the meantime, Hanso," her eyes were startlingly grave when she told me this, "Consider this your heads-up."

Week 4

Happy birthday to me.

I think it was an even worst birthday than last year, when people thought I was a spy. Everyone was getting ready for the duel to even notice I was turning eleven, though all my friends gave me a greeting. Even Kayley managed a grudging one as I passed her down the hall. You would've thought the effort would kill her—not only 'cause she didn't like greeting people, but because she's starting to look really, really sick. Even Jacques started noticing, but she assured him – in a very loud voice, so that we could all hear – that she was _fine. _

Liar.

I was still a little freaked out by what she said next week, but I didn't dare ask. I didn't think I wanted to hear the answer. Cowardly, I know, but I had enough on my plate. I swear, whenever I'm alone I feel like a pair of emerald eyes are watching me. I still don't know what to think about that girl, though I do kinda admire her for having enough wits to manipulate her parents' moves. In a way, she's the exact opposite of Hazel—independent, self-reliant, and mysterious. I wonder how she's going to react if she gets home while Emerald is still here.

My class and I weren't supposed to watch the battle, which was going to be held in a small clearing in the forest. But after a few threats from the twins, Kanrik deemed that we'd probably sneak out anyway, and gave Jacques permission to let us go but with security measures, provided our parents know we were there. Mom was pretty horrified, but I convinced her that I had to go, if only to support Sam. She relented, but she kept muttering, "Oh, if your father was here…"

When we were at the stands, though, I guessed some of us were having second thoughts. Juliet kept eyeing the exit of the clearing. When she wasn't, her twin did. Razor, surprisingly, was the most steely of all of us. I guess that's because he wasn't squeamish at the sight of wounds of blood. Still, even he turned a little green at the thought of someone _dying. _Me, I just told myself to suck it up. Something was about to happen, I knew—but I didn't think it mean a death. I needed to see.

As for Kayley, she was the worst. She had turned so pale, she looked grey, and her eyes were darting around crazily. "Kayley?" Juliet said tentatively. "Are you okay?"

"No!" she snapped. "This is wrong, just plain wrong. I can't watch a _teenaged guard _killing a person, as well as I can't watch _her _killing a teenager!" With that, she stood up. "Sorry, guys, I just can't stand it. I'm leaving." She ran away.

"Wait!" I called, dismayed, running after her. "Kayley!"

Before she reached the entrance, however, she crashed into someone. "Whoa, there," Tyler said. She would've tumbled to the ground if he hadn't steadied her, gripping her shoulders. I noticed that she paled even more when she saw him. "Hey-!" She dashed away again.

"What's with her?" Bridgette asked. "You okay, Tyler?" She smirked at me. "I can guess how getting bumped into feels like."

"Yeah, fine," he said distractedly, still staring after her.

"What was with her, anyway?" Bridgette questioned.

I shrugged. "She didn't want to watch the fight after all."

"Can't say I blame her," she replied, shuddering. "I've watched bloody battles myself, but never as a kid. In fact, I wouldn't even be here if Kanrik didn't require me to. As for my brother, well…he decided that he had to come. Had one of his 'feelings' that something important was going to happen, just because-"

"Bridge," Tyler murmured. "Do you see what I see?"

"What?" She turned to him, frowning.

"Use soft sight," he instructed.

She nodded and looked into the direction of where Kayley went. Her breathing slowed slightly. Her eyes became unfocused. Then, just as suddenly, she snapped out of it. She blinked. "Sweet Fyora, her _aura_…."

"What's going on?" I asked.

"We're originally from Shenkuu," Bridgette explained. She twirled a bit of her blonde hair. "Though some of us might not look like it. Anyway, my father had the Sight, and taught it to us. Every person of _that _mission had a special talent – I know your father could keep a group together with humor, as well as experienced in traveling – but ours had this." She bit her lip. "I'm not very good at it. I'm not even good at explaining it. The best one of my siblings is Jordan, my eldest brother. Tyler's a natural, too, but he doesn't have enough training."

"And Jordan won't teach me," he grumbled.

"Well, with soft sight and a lot of effort, I can see Chi – life forces of living things and bodies – and aura, a kind of electric radiation of the Chi, like the power of presence, though also of nonliving objects. And what I can see is that her aura is more powerful than average."

"Not super-powerful, though, like-" Tyler paused and shook his head.

"What's odd is that what I can also see is that her Chi is tied to something else…and that something else is in your coat." She looked apologetically at me.

"My…coat?" I said in disbelief.

"In that pocket," she added, pointing. I grabbed the items that were in there and pulled it out. It was the Obsidian rocks. They gasped. "Sweet Fyora…"

"It's _broken_," said Tyler, horrified. "The Chi is flowing out…her life force is fading."

"Hanso," said Bridgette urgently. "You have to get that thing fixed _fast_."

"What? Why?"

"Because if you don't, she'll be dead within the year!" Bridgette shrieked. "This is supposed to be impossible. No ordinary kid, unless she got someone to do it for her or it had been done automatically, can tie her life force to an object, much less an intertwined one. The price is death if that object is broken."

I paled. "Will I die?"

"No," she said quickly. "You can't tie yourself with it just because you've been holding it. But you have to fix it before your friend does."

I glared at them. "Is this some sort of joke? 'Cause it's not funny."

"Hanso, it's no joke," Tyler said honestly. He peered at the direction she ran in again. "She still looks okay. I'd give her two more months, three if she's strong. I'll help-"

"No," Bridgette said harshly.

"Bridge, how am I supposed to stand by and watch this happen?"

"Mom said so," she snapped at him. "She doesn't want us interfering at things that aren't our own business. Look what happened to Dad!"

"He redeemed himself," he said stubbornly.

She shook her head disgustedly. "I forbid it."

"You can't tell me what to do!"

"But Jordan can," she snarled.

"He doesn't even care!"

"But he can make you behave. I'm sorry, Hanso," she said, apologizing to me, "But we can't help you with this much."

"She said it was unfixable," I said. "Unless I get powerful magic or something."

"She's probably right. An item this strong would need someone powerful, or maybe a sacrifice," she said. "I guess you'll just have to say good-bye to her."

"How can you say that?" Tyler said, glowering at her.

"It's the truth! There's no use lying to him."

I wasn't paying attention to them. I kept remembering something she had said: _If I had to choose to save the necklace or you, you'd be my priority. _Even though I knew the necklace was priceless to her, I accepted that. I mean, a piece of jewelry couldn't be worth more than a life, right? Now I find out that her life was tied to the necklace, and I realize what she was truly saying. _If I had to save myself or you, I'd choose you._

And she did.

"You know what? I don't think I want to watch the fight after all," said Tyler finally.

"How about the important thing you swore was going to happen?" Bridgette asked.

"I think," said Tyler slowly, glancing in Kayley's direction, "It already happened."

(Line)

"Hanso, you sure you don't want to skip this too?" Juliet asked me, concerned. _She can't know_, I told myself. No matter what Bridgette and Kayley herself said, I can't just watch her die. It'd all be my fault, for pulling out that stupid rock. I guess you can argue that it was the only way to save my life, but still….I don't know if Masila knew what would happen. Weirdly, she was always the most civil to Kayley when they confront each other. But then, how did she know how the rock worked?

And why, in the name of Fyora, did Kayley have her life connected to that rock in the first place? It made no sense.

She can't die.

She can't!

I didn't notice Razor raising a hand to my head. "No, no fever. No sign of physical ailment, either. Emotional, I can't tell."

Juliet gave me a sad smile. "Is something the matter with Brynn?"

"What?" I said, snapping out of it. "Oh, no. It's just…Kayley…" I shut up.

"She's tough," she assured me. "Tougher than you think. You don't need to worry about her not watching the match—there's just some things she'd rather avoid, I guess." Tough enough to survive this? I didn't think so. "And besides," she continued, "We agreed we'd worry about her after the Guild problems were over."

Yeah, if she was still alive after the Guild problems.

Julius was watching me carefully. "Scoot over, sis." He said, sitting to my right now instead of Juliet. She pouted, slightly miffed, and then turned her attention to the match. "Listen," he said quietly to me, "We all know Kayley's hiding something, and probably this is something is killing her inside out. I'm guessing that this has something to do with that little stone she used to wear around her neck, but was mysteriously broken."

"Wha—How…?"

"You can find out a lot by just lurking about," he said matter-of-factly. "Kayley's more vigilant than most, I grant her that, but even she doesn't know I sneak around that much."

I gave him a grin. "And just why are you stalking her?"

He glared at me. "Because my sister is worried about her! Heck, _I'm _worried about her, and really I don't mind that much about anyone besides Juliet. She's not the only one who has common sense, y'know." He frowned. "Know something else? That stone, it isn't obsidian, although I once heard you saying it was."

"How do you know that?"

"I take a special interest and metals for weapons," he said dismissively. "Kayley's dagger—yeah, that's obsidian, if you look closely. I don't know where she got it, and how she got it to stay so sharp all these years since they're supposed to wear out pretty quickly, though I'm definitely not going to ask, she's scary enough without me asking about a weapon." Briefly, I wondered if it was funny that he was scared of a girl. It wasn't. She was plenty scary, I admit it myself. His eyes turned a little dreamy. "You know that no matter how sleek and sharp a steel blade is, it's actually jagged when you look at it from a microscope? Now obsidian blades are always smooth and even, no matter how you look at it, and they're really sharp, even if they're only three nanometers thick, the slightest touch would hurt you so it's lucky that Kayley never-"

"Uh, Julius? I thought we were talking about Kayley, not metals."

"Right. Sorry. Like I said before, Kayley's stone isn't obsidian."

"She told me once, 'It's an obsidian stone tinted by magic.' I don't think she was lying."

"Maybe she meant something different by obsidian," he mused. "They're very special, and thus symbolic in a lot of ways. There's a scientific way on how it's formed, but in the myths and legends I've read of it, it's always 'fire and ice.' Two very different elements, maybe more, being bound together. Either that's what's happened to the stone, or it's part of two or three elements that are being bound."

My eyes widened. The stone that she gave me and it were intertwined. I wondered if that was connected to the intertwined elements…

"Okay, wait. Does this even matter? This is about Kayley's health, not some stone."

"It could be, if you're trying to find a way to fix it. Just speculating," he added when he saw my shocked expression. "Like I said, Juliet isn't the only one who can figure things out. From the moment I glanced at her pulling it out from beneath her coat by chance when we were seven, I knew that thing was special. Then, for some inexplicable reason, she stopped wearing it—and you did too, with yours. The only thing I could think of is that it broke, and you need to fix it." He frowned. "You're right, though. I still don't see how this connects to Kayley's health."

"Maybe it's better not to know," I said. "It's kinda complicated by what I heard."

"You planning to tell about it to my sister?"

"…Yeah."

"And leave me out of it again?"

"Oh, come on. I just- You just…"

"I get it. People trust her better. She's nicer, and most people find me intimidating." He grinned. "Just the way I like it. But you can trust me to, ya know."

Figuring I had nothing to lose, I broke the news about the Chi.

His eyebrows shot straight up. "Whoa. I heard of Chi—you know, Tai Chi and stuff—but her life force flowing out? Doesn't that mean she'll…die?"

"Yes."

He swore. Juliet frowned at him from his other side. "What's happening?"

"Nothing, sis," he murmured distractedly. "We really need to get that rock fixed." He frowned. "I suppose we can fuse it together, with a blacksmith's help, but who knows what'll that do to Kayley? Her life force would get all screwed up. She'll die more slowly and painfully."

"Guys," Juliet hissed. "It's starting!"

"We'll discuss this later," he told me in an undertone. "I'll inform my sister."

"And Razor," I added impulsively. After all, he is a doctor. Plus, I didn't think it would be fair if he was the only one in our class to get left out. He nodded, and we both turned to watch the fight.

Masila was already there, leaning against a tree, relaxed. "Last chance to back out, sweetheart." She was directing her words to Sam, but she was glaring at Kanrik and Morgana. Marie was biting her lip. "No way out after this."

"Then let's get this over with," Ssm retorted, his sword drawn. His eyes were repeating the apology he made a few weeks ago, and I knew that he was hoping against hope that his auntie would find him a way out of this.

She gave him a half-smile. "I suppose we should."

He was the one who attacked first, surprisingly.

She blocked him with her dagger with ease, although her weapon was much smaller.

He swiped at her, but she simply turned away, and dodged his hit when he lunged at her.

Throw.

Miss.

Plunge.

Shield.

It seemed to go on and on, with her simply going on defence mode. The whole Thieves' Guild was astonished, though Masila's assassins all watched grimly. Juliet began peeking through her fingers when she didn't hear howls of pain. Razor looked on with raised eyebrows. I knew Julius was mentally ticking off the battle strategies they were using. Kanrik frowned. As for Sam, he looked simply confused, but hopeful.

He wasn't stupid.

They knew it couldn't go on this way, that either one of them would surrender or get killed. I seriously doubted that it was going to be Masila who was going to die. Sam might be a good fighter, but nothing could top that she had years of experience on him with perhaps thousands of foes. He would never win this battle, unless he had some secret technique or that he let her win.

"What are you waiting for? Just go on and kill him!" Morgana yelled.

My blood froze. Kill _him_?

Was she urging Masila to kill her nephew?

Judging by the outraged looks the Thieves' Guild had, I heard right. They might not like Sam much (after all, he is a guard) but they needed him for now, and they probably didn't want anyone to urge him to die any time soon. Just about everyone turned to glower at Morgana, but my eyes were glued to the battling opponents.

I was the only one watching them.

I was probably the only one who saw this.

The yelling was the opportunity that Masila had been waiting for, though I seriously doubted that Morgana intended it to be that way. Morgana might be sadistic, but she wanted blood to be spilt, the battle to be over with a triumphant conclusion. This was something else.

In that moment, she looked at her nephew and mouthed, _Trust me?_

_Okay, Auntie. _The same thing that they used when she first taught him how to float and he was scared. She hadn't let him down then. He was hoping she wouldn't let him down now.

With that, she stabbed him.

I don't think he saw it coming. _I _didn't see it coming. He was so stunned he didn't even try to deflect it. It was a mortal wound, one that ensured a slow, painful death if she didn't finish him off quickly. Kanrik's face was one of complete disbelief—I don't think that he truly meant for things to get this far, despite knowing the risk. Marie's expression was horrified. "No!" Two nearby thieves had to pull her back from interfering.

Masila didn't seem to be in a hurry. She seemed intent for a lingering death instead of a fast one. She circled around her nephew with her arms crossed. Sam looked utterly betrayed.

Guess that's what you can expect from the Mistress of Double-cross.

"What are you waiting for?" he snapped.

"Something," she said softly, and her eyes turned to Marie, who was still struggling. "You can still save him, sister."

What was she talking about? Of course she can't save him!

The duel won't be finished until one of them lost.

Unless….

"You know what I want, Marie," she continued. Marie's eyes widened. "That little piece of jewellery you've been hiding; the one that's rightfully mine. All I ask is you give it back, and I'll return your precious little son." She looked around. "Though I suppose it wouldn't do to hand it over in this environment, now, would it? You have until the New Year. You know where I'll be."

My jaw dropped as I suddenly realized what she wanted.

Masila grabbed a fistful of strange-looking powder from her pocket. She threw it to the ground.

A huge, loud explosion erupted, and suddenly there was a raging sandstorm. In _Brightvale. _I covered my eyes, but they were already stinging.

When I could finally open them, Masila, Sam, and the Assassins were gone.

Happy birthday to me.

**What do you think of the new characters so far (Tyler, Bridgette, and Emerald)?**


	46. October at Age 11

**And the votes are in! The new first chapter of HJ stays. Sorry to people who liked the old one better, but I think it'd be good if there's a little more detail. I know that if I left it the old way, it'd show how he had matured over the years (because of my own style getting better, probably) but the length of the chapters would show that anyway. Besides, the first few chapters didn't even look like it had a definitive story. **

**However, I am going to postpone reposting the chapters until the end of the – what do you call it? Let's say season – season 4 of HJ. That means the end of an HJ year—December. Thank you for people who checked out the poll! **

**I forgot to mention, Emerald is an Usul. I'm making another guide, this time about Uptown (suggested by Kyanite_Archer)…it'll probably be finished the same time as when I start reposting the chapters, so probably either the chapter after the next or the one after that. **

The Month of Collecting (November) Age 10

Week 1

We were doomed.

Utterly, utterly doomed.

We were aware of the fact that Sam might – heck, was even likely to – lose. I mean, he's fourteen (or fifteen, I think his birthday passed already). But none of us never guessed, even in our despairing, that _this _would happen. Masila kidnapping Sam in the middle of the fight and threatening to kill him unless Marie doesn't give her the necklace? Crazy. But I should've seen it. Much as I hate to admit it, the plan was absolutely brilliant.

Kanrik didn't think so, though.

I'd never seen him so angry and desperate. I think Bridgette had a point when she said he could be scary sometimes. When they disappeared, he barked orders at his fastest scouts to find them, find them, FIND THEM! But Masila had obviously been planning this for months. The scouts scoured the whole kingdom, but there was no sign of them. Finally, they had to conclude that they had sailed away, though no one knew where they went.

Marie doesn't even know. But she wouldn't stop crying. I stopped by a few times in her house, and in every single visit she was still sobbing her heart out. I didn't do much but stare, really, though Mom would've said it was ride. To be really, really honest, the only reason why I went there in the first place was to check that the necklace was still there. I know that's kinda mean, but really, sad, crying girls are even more scary than the angry ones. You can never find the right thing to say.

Bet Kayley would beat me up if I voiced that thought out loud.

Speaking of Kayley, she's getting worse, no doubt about it. The whole class knows about what's happening to her now, but we haven't talked about it with her outright yet. Who knows how she'd react? Razor had been subtly trying to check up on her a few times, but she always told him to go away. Like she doesn't care if she's sick—like she's not afraid to die.

This isn't fair. She might be grouch and guard-hating, but she doesn't deserve this. At the Guild's main hall, waiting for my mom, I just kept glaring at the broken pebble. Stupid stone. I still don't understand how her life got tied to its twin. I don't think that Masila knew breaking it would kill Kayley – there might have been some truth that she liked kids, and destroying her wouldn't help her get any closer to murdering Kanrik. Yeah, she kills, but she kills for a reason.

I reached into my pocket again to look at her stone. Then I blinked, noticing something weird about it. Her obsidian, the one that supposedly matched mine, almost seemed a different color. A little brighter. Holding it to the sunlight, it flashed a deep gold; not the valuable kind, but I had a feeling this was much, much more powerful. Is this the effect of having a life tied down to a magical item? Somehow, I didn't think so. Still, it hummed with power.

She once told me that the stones did so much more than convey messages.

I frowned, thinking of the one time last year when I saw her going after Sasha in the gloom. That was last Christmas, I think. I remembered Kayley conjuring some sort of fire-orb; I never did figure out how she did it, or how it helped reveal that Sasha was the spy. Could that be one of the stone's powers?

"Gah," I muttered furiously to the rock. "What can you do? You're just a piece of garbage. I should've thrown you away when Kayley said so."

Suddenly, the shards of Kayley's stone warmed in my hand until it was almost burning it. My eyes widened. In my head, there were like a jumble of thoughts, broken, as if the stone was trying to reach for me. It wasn't very happy. I realized I was still holding the darn thing to the sunlight and tried to yank it back – no sense making it hotter – but my arm wouldn't budge.

My vision began going fuzzy, and for a moment I didn't see the Guild at was just a wave of images, flying through my mind. First I glimpsed of a hot, sandy desert. Then I was drowning, struggling to swim up on the top of the waves. Then I was on top of a huge burger, while near me a building called the Neolodge loomed in (huge burger? That was weird). Then I went to this lake, where a lot of Kikos were staring at me. And then….

"You shouldn't do that," a voice said. I snapped out of it, blinking rapidly and letting go of the stone. I looked up and saw Bridgette leaning against the wall, a disapproving frown on her face. "Using a broken magical item is unpredictable. Who knows how the thing can backfire? Uh oh…"

Oh, my stomach hurt…I fell onto my knees, holding on to a nearby chair. I moaned. "Gimme a bucket or something—I think I'm going to throw up."

"You're lucky you only did throw up," she said, after I finished my retching. "Do you know what could have happened? You might have died."

"Thanks for your concern," I said, rolling my eyes. "How many times have I met you again? Twice?"

"Sorry," she apologized. "Big sister habit. I love mothering little kids."

"Excuse me? Am I a little kid?" I said playfully.

"No, but you're certainly going through a tough time." She bit her lip. "Hanso, I know this might sound hard to believe, especially if you really like your friend, but she's a goner. There's no way we can fix that thing."

"Goner?" I snapped, suddenly angry. "I don't think so."

"Hanso-"

"She didn't believe I was a goner when I set out to Krawk Island alone in a very risky quest. She didn't believe that I'd die when Masila poisoned me. She didn't let me fail when we tried to rescue Kanrik when we were small. She always saved me." I glared at Bridgette. "And I intend to return the favor." I paused. "Besides, there's something you're not telling me."

"How did you-? Oh, forget it." She huffed.

"There _is _a way to save her?" I asked.

"There is," she agreed. "But you're not going to like it. See, Chi's about maintaining balance and all that stuff-"

"Yeah?"

"So, everything has to be equal. A queen for a queen. A coin for a coin. A life-"

"For a life," I finished.

"Right," she said sadly. "Which means that if you want to save her, someone has to sacrifice his life."

"Isn't there a better way?" I questioned.

"No," she sighed, and I could see she was being honest.

I frowned. There would be no one I knew who'd be willing to do that for Kayley, except maybe Juliet; and she's canceled out because I would never let her do it and her brother would kill me if I did. Probably literally. I've never met her family, but from the way she spoke of them I had a feeling that none of them would risk their necks to save hers.

If someone had to do it, it would have to be me.

"I do suggest one thing, though," she said hesitantly. "The power might be able to stay in a little longer if it was held in the presence of another strong aura. Like a mage or something. I would request Jordan, my eldest brother, but…." Her face darkened. "He's rarely in the mood for favors."

"Even if it's to save someone's life?"

"You don't know my brother," she promised. "If you have one conversation with him, you'll see that he's-" She winced. "He's a little wrong in the head."

"Crazy?"

"You could say that." She shrugged. "Anyway, do you know any other person who you could give that to?"

A conversation instantly sprang up in my head.

_"Hanso. That lady. There's something wrong about her."_

_"Who? Mrs. Daley?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"What? She's the nicest person I've ever met."_

_"Nevertheless, there's something wrong…I'm sensing a huge power source in her."_

Looks like another visit to Uptown.

Week 2

"Why the sudden interest again?" Mom asked me after breakfast, when I told her I wanted to go with her. Ever since that day when Charlie's family found out that she was alive, she's been going back after work to argue with Grandmother. Stuff to do about the inheritance and all that. From what I can tell, their fights are very, very explosive and get nothing accomplished, and the only reason they haven't killed each other yet was that Mrs. Daley had interfered every time.

Not that I've seen any of it.

As well as Mom going to Uptown more often, I've also kept a lot more out of it. Charlie didn't need me that much—he had Emerald, though I wasn't _completely _sure that she was a friend. I didn't want to get dragged into that inheritance thing, knowing that all my family besides Charlie and Mom would view me as a terrible mistake. I guess I could stand the looks from the Guild, but from my own family? Kayley once said that blood was thicker than water. I don't really believe that anymore.

Also….I hate to admit it, but I've mistrusted Mom a teeny bit more afterwards. I know it was for my own good and all, but how could she have let me talk, help, and save the life of my cousin without even knowing who he is? Yes, she had her reasons. It was the once defense I had when everyone thought I was a traitor…I still remember that creepy trial in the dead of night, when the only thing that stopped them from kicking me out was the fact that I didn't know anything about my past. But _still. _

I didn't even know Mom's real _name _all those years.

How could anyone expect me to trust her completely again?

"I need to say something to someone in Uptown."

"Hm. Mind if I ask who that someone is or what you're telling him or her?"

Silence.

"I suppose I shouldn't ask for such things," she sighed. "You _are _growing up. And it's not like I haven't kept secrets from you."

"I'm sorry, Mom," I said honestly. I truly was. But if I told her what happened to Kayley, she would completely freak out and maybe tell Kanrik, who would then realize it was Masila's fault, and will become even more obsessed with finding her not to mention would probably pry into Kayley's background, which I knew is something she would definitely not want. I was at a stalemate, and I knew it.

"It's all right, honey. Just…don't grow up too soon, okay?" She went outside without a word, and I followed her. We are just at the center of the marketplace, when-

"I wouldn't visit now if I were you," said a voice. "Your mother is in a very, very foul temper right now."

"How bad?" Mom asked, not turning around.

"About as bad as when I visited in Christmas break when you and I ruined the family portrait, a grand piano, and a priceless vase."

"That is bad," Mom agreed. "Is that you, Grace?"

"It's Honey, now, remember? But yes," the lady answered. Surprisingly, her long hair was braided in two plaits, and she was wearing a servant's outfit. It made her looking strikingly different, not at all like the proper lady I remembered. "Shocking how a change of hairstyle can make you unrecognizable."

"What are you even doing here? And how the heck did you recognize _me_?"

"I'm buying things."

"I thought you had servants for that?" Mom said coldly.

She snorted. "Please. We aren't rich as we seem—I had given Violet quite a bit of money to enter the Guard. The fee was extraordinary. It's a wonder how people of the lower class can afford it."

"Probably saved every penny they owned."

"Probably," she agreed. "As to how I recognized you, well, I'm meek, but I'm not stupid. The same way you recognized me in servant's clothes. I _know _you."

"Then wouldn't you have been able to recognize me _before _I revealed myself?" Mom asked. Grace said nothing, but a smile played along her lips. "Sweet Fyora. You _did _recognize me before, haven't you?"

"Like I said: Meek, but not stupid." She leaned against the wall. "Figured you wouldn't want me to reveal that you were alive, what with being married and a thief and all. You seem happy enough."

Mom stared at her, completely shocked. So was I. Grace, Honey, or whoever she was, knew that I was a rich kid _the entire time_?

She sent away Hazel when she realized that Masila might come after her, thanks to a mysterious adviser.

I wonder how crafty she _really _is.

"W-what happened to my mother?" Mom stammered, trying to change the subject.

"She and her daughter-in-law had gotten in a very nasty agreement." She leaned over to whisper in Mom's ear. "The color of William's suit."

Mom burst out laughing. "Seriously?"

"I'm afraid so," Grace said, shaking her head. "No doubt it will end with tearful sentimentality." She sighed. "But that's what happens when you're in Uptown. _May you rise above the rest._" She said the last part in a mocking voice, and I realized that it was the Uptown motto, something Charlie and Hazel had quoted with distaste.

"Where's your husband?" Mom asked, with raised eyebrows. "You seem a lot more…scared around him."

"I'd rather not talk about it. Say, isn't that your friend Marie over there?"

We stared. How much did this lady know? She smiled at us sweetly and pointed. It was definitely Marie, and she was chasing some a creepy blue Mynci. "That's one of Masila's assassins," Mom realized. "We have to see what's happening. Care to join us, Grace?"

Now it was her turn to stare. "All right."

We all hurried after her – even Mom was surprised at how quick Grace was – and spied her in a corner, holding up a dagger to a blue Mynci. "Should we stop her?" I asked Mom.

She shook her head. "She wouldn't kill. She knows what she's doing. But maybe we should go to her-"

Suddenly, two guards ran near the alleyway. I didn't have to guess who it was—I have begun actually keeping track of the days of the week. "Mom, I can't. That's Brynn."

"Oh, so that's her," Mom said, looking at my friend. "There's Violet."

"What?" Grace straightened up. "Oh, if that lady threatens her in any way-"

"She's a guard," Mom reminded her. "She's probably threatened everyday."

"I won't allow it while I'm present," she said grimly. We all edged closer, but we made sure that we weren't seen. It seemed that Marie had yet to notice Brynn and Violet behind her.

"Tell me what you have done with my son!" Marie snapped, her voice angry and deadly.

"I didn't do nuffin, Miss," the Mynci pleaded. "The mistress said sumfin' about if the Guild won't help then she'd need bait and-" He broke off.

Marie looked murderous. "You're using him as _bait_?" She was hyperventilating.

"Oh, dear," Grace whispered. "She looks even angrier than your mother right now."

"It takes a lot to make me angry Jonathon," Marie continued. "But you've succeeded. He's all I have left in the world, Jon. I have nothing else, since-"

"You betrayed the Guild?" Jonathon suggested.

"I did not!" Marie said indignantly. "It was better. Don't you see that?"

He snorted. "Your sister didn't." Frankly, I don't as well. Okay, so Masila's the Mistress of Double-cross and everything, and the thought of agreeing with her makes me sick, but I have to say that she might be right at this point. From what I saw in the crystal ball, she left everything behind to be with some bossy general. I guessed that maybe they had some happy moments – Marie wouldn't have done anything for him if that wasn't the case – but maybe she really was a bit too young.

"I'm nothing like her!" she yelled.

Jonathon spotted the guards. "Miss," he said, warning Marie.

Marie spun around, pulling her hood down. "Hello, girls," she said, forcing a smile. "I'm just sorting out some….personal matters."

"He's missing?" Violet said quietly. We all knew who she was referring to (except maybe Grace).

Marie's gaze softened. "He'll be all right, dear," she assured her. She wasn't very convincing. "This is Sam we're talking about. He's gotten out of worse."

_Worse than the Mistress of Double Cross? _I thought. _Not likely. _

"Daddy's not here to save 'im this time," the Mynci said gleefully.

Marie glared at him and went closer, whispering something in his ear that even the guard girls didn't hear. He paled and shrank back against the wall.

"Are they at Terror Mountain?" Violet said boldly, striding in front. "Because we were wondering…"

"Yeah, Masila and her guys are," he confirmed. He had a sly smile on his face, as if he accomplished a mission. Maybe he did.

Marie stumbled back, letting go of him, and the Mynci quickly ran away. She began muttering, as if thinking out loud. "Which means….And they're going to….No!" She began to walk away really quickly, but Violet grabbed her arm. The guard girl looked mystified, as if she couldn't believe someone would just walk away from her.

"You've just been caught threatening a man with a dagger. Explain yourself," she ordered. Her face said, _Or else. _

"I think it's your daughter who's doing the threatening," Mom said dryly.

"We've had past dealings," said Marie simply.

Violet arched an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Look," she said exasperatedly, "When guards have fallings out they deal with it legally, maybe take it to the king and resolve it with fines and prison sentences, that sort of thing. Correct?" Violet nodded. "In the Thieves' Guild, we don't deal with things that way. There are people in the Guild who would kill me if they got a chance. These people also have a rough idea where my son is." She glared at the Mynci, who was still hanging around. "And so I have to get that out of them. It's a mother thing. Wouldn't your mother search for you if something happened?"

Grace stiffened, dreading her answer.

Brynn nodded with utter conviction, and if Marie had been asking me I would've done the same. Dad had said that Mom had nearly driven Brightvale upside-down when I went to get Hannah. But Violet hesitated. "She'd want to," she said at last. "But she wouldn't."

Grace's face fell.

"Why not?" Marie asked.

"Because Father is in charge," Violet said, utterly convinced. There was no other possibility. Her voice was a mixture of sadness and contempt, like she hated that her mom let her dad walk all over her. "And he'd say it was my own fault. Same thing probably if Hazel ever got lost. Ebony's different. Father always liked Ebony more."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Marie said sincerely. "Though, I'll still need to go."

Violet glared at her suspiciously. "Violet," Brynn said, "If Marie doesn't go, Masila will keep hold of Sam. Do you want that?" Violet sighed and let go of her. Satisfied, Brynn turned to Marie. "Good luck."

"Or we'll come after him ourselves," Violet said darkly.

(Line)

"This is bad," Mom said, as soon as we got out of earshot.

"Yes," I agreed. "We can't just let the guards find Sam! They could get hurt!"

She blinked. "Uh, Hanso, I was referring to Marie giving in to Masila's demands and going on a wild goose chase to Terror Mountain. I doubt the guard girls can even find a boat."

"Oh." I turned red, embarrassed. Still, I doubted that if Brynn _really _wanted to get to Terror Mountain, nothing would stop her. She'd _swim _if she had to.

"Sorry, hon, we're going to have to postpone our little trip to Uptown. Not that I mind," she said, frowning. "We have to tell Kanrik about this. Um, Grace, are you going to be okay….?"

Grace was noticeably quieter after what Violet said. I couldn't help but pity her, even if I did think it was pathetic. I remembered when Violet was absolutely _bursting _to get Mom's autograph and chatting happily about Hannah and some girl called Theresa—but when it came down to her own mom, she didn't have a shred of pride. Even if she's in danger, she had no expectation that her mother would come and rescue her.

"W-what? Oh, yes. I'm used to it. I better go back, anyway. My husband would probably be expecting thing or something right now." She gave us a nod and went her own way.

"That's kinda sad," I commented.

"She wasn't always this way," Mom sighed. We made our way to the Guild pretty quickly.

"I know."

A flicker of suspicion crossed Mom's face. "Oh? And how did you come about this knowledge?"

"Uh…."

"Never mind. I don't think I want to know." She stopped. "On second thought, what else have you learned?"

"Oh, look, there's Kanrik!" I said frantically. It was enough to distract her, thank Fyora.

She ran to him and whispered happened in his ear. His eyes widened. He called for a thief to get a boat ready—and then Bridgette came inside looking frantic. "Marie's gone."

He sighed disgustedly. "I might have known. I'm going after them alone this time."

"What?" Morgana said, materializing. "Why? I do not suggest-"

"I have no need for suggestions," he snapped. "Yours especially. Look what came of it."

"You have no one to blame but yourself," she retorted. "I was the one who requested that we go through with it, but only you have the power to actually accept that decision."

He glared at her. "You will stay here. No one else is to come with me."

"Why?" she questioned.

"I don't want anyone else to be harmed with this mission." Even though he didn't say so, I knew he was talking about the people lost in the massacre. Bridgette visibly stiffened, but said nothing.

"What about Hannah?" I blurted out.

He frowned at me. "What about Hannah?"

"Well, shouldn't you ask her to help?"

"No," he said promptly. "She's a good explorer, but she does not want to get mixed up any of this thief business."

"But-"

"No buts," he told me. "I have to leave. Now. Is it ready?" He asked Bridgette.

"Yes, sir," she said quietly. She hesitated, and then added, "For what it's worth, sir…I don't blame you for what happened."

"Me neither," I called in. Mom echoed my statement, but there was a sad light in her eyes.

Then he was gone.

(Line)

A horrible thought had struck me.

I ran.

I raced all the way to Marie's house, praying that I was wrong. But I wasn't. The furniture was still all right, and everything was still in proper place. Except one thing…

The crystal ball was in shards. Broken.

I touched it a little bit, and drew back, remembering Bridgette's warning against broken artifacts. I so did not want to take the risk. But I knew why Masila ordered her goons to break the orb—it was too powerful a thing, and she wanted us as weak as possible. And not only that…I had a feeling she used it before she crushed it.

What if she had went back to last Christmas, when she read the incantation?

She might have forgotten it, and Dad might have burnt the spell, but if she went back and heard it for herself, making absolutely sure she remembered it…This was bad. This was really, really bad.

If Masila gets her hands on that necklace, she would rule Neopia.

And there was nothing I could do about it.

Week 3

"NO!"

"YES!"

"Ladies, be reasonable," Mrs. Daley pleaded, but she was ignored.

"Why am I even considering a compromise?" Mom wondered out loud. "I refuse to inherit this stupid fortune…"

"Too bad, since it's already yours," Grandmother snapped. "Many people would give up their right arms to get that much money—and no, you cannot just give it away when you have it. The banker is under my strict others that you do not withdraw a specific number a day, and only if you provide an income."

"Then what's the point of inheriting it at all?" Mom asked in disbelief.

"Children," Mrs. Daley said smoothly, gently pushing me and Charlie away, "I think you should wait outside until this blows over."

"Does it ever blow over?" I asked.

"Well, usually it ends with Aunt Liz stomping away in frustration," Charlie replied.

You'd think that we'd have a lot more to worry about than the money—I mean, we had an evil murderess with Sam on the loose and Marie coming to give her what she wants, plus the Guild leader was trying to get to them and defeat her. But that's the thing. That would be all we'd ever do if we don't keep busy—worry. So Mom and I decided that we should at least make this time productive, even if we were scared out of our wits about what was going to happen.

Also, I needed to talk to Mrs. Daley, _fast. _Tyler was right: If I couldn't get Kayley's necklace fixed soon, she won't last till the New Year. If giving the stone to Mrs. Daley, someone I couldn't say I completely trusted anymore, is the only way to save her or at least buy some time, I have to do it. But someone is always present; either Mom or Grandmother or Charlie, and I doubted that I could ask to speak to her without arousing suspicions from them. Besides that, I have another reason to talk to my cousin's housekeeper.

She was hiding something.

Emerald had explicitly told me herself – but seriously, who was this mysterious guy who told her to give me the hint? – but I had already suspected it before. That scrapbook scared me a lot. Is it possible that that really was her? She had never mentioned her age, but then, neither did Mom or any other lady (they seemed to think it was rude, for some reason). Before I could trust her with the necklace, I intended to find out what was up.

"Neopia to Hanso?" Charlie asked.

"What? Oh, sorry, I just…"

"You have a lot to worry about. I know." He seemed a lot more relaxed than usual, and was chatting happily. "Hazel's having an…interesting time at the Academy. She'll be coming home for a brief visit at Christmas – for two whole weeks, actually, until the New Year – but the school's all right for her. Since her brother and father had practically already beaten the lessons to her, she's at the top of her class…a very big surprise to her teachers, she says." He grinned.

"Cool. How is she with friends?"

"Good enough. She does have a bit of family there—there's her cousin, Beauty-"

"From her mother's side?"

"Yes. All the traits of what a proper lady should be, remember? Grace, beauty, prudence, politeness, that sort of thing. Mind you, she doesn't agree with it…"

"Really?" a voice asked. Emerald's eyebrows were raised. "She doesn't seem like it."

"I doubt that anyone would like getting treated like a servant," Charlie pointed out. Then he smiled at her. "So, are you coming in the Christmas break, too? Hazel and you and I can get up some pretty interesting games…"

Her laugh was slightly forced. "Ah, no thank you," she said. "I might be leaving before then."

"What? But I thought you said you won't be going until next year so you could be here for Sapphire."

_Drat, _Emerald's face seemed to say. "Oh, yes…well, my family might not want me to go. It might be a private thing, and all, with Christmas being so important. Or we could get invited back to Richmond, if my Uncle's generosity allows it."

"I doubt it, Em," said someone behind her. "You know how he is."

A small smile played around her lips. "And why not, Ebony?"

"You know why," the black Usul sighed, going over to face her. He bowed low. Oddly enough, it seemed genuine—as if he really respected her, not just putting on a show. "Duchess Emerald."

"Lord Ebony," she said, giving a slight curtsy.

"I suppose it's no use asking you why you associate with _them_?"

"No use at all," she confirmed, "Unless you want me questioning you about the people _you _hang around with."

"There's nothing to tell. They're all a bunch of morons."

"A bunch of morons who convinced you to burn down Charlie's mansion?" Emerald asked, circling him. He turned red. I stared—he really _was _ashamed of himself. "A bunch of morons who chased little kids out of the neighborhood? Although perhaps the first shouldn't have surprised me. You've always loved playing with fire."

"Is that a problem?" he asked with a small, albeit nervous grin. "Remember that poem? _An emerald as green as grass…"_

"_A ruby as red as blood,_" Emerald recited.

He smirked at her. "_A sapphire shines as blue as Heaven-_"

"_A flint lies in the mud_," she said dryly.

"_A diamond is a brilliant stone_," he continued. "_To catch the world's desire._"

She began saying the last lines. "_An opal holds a fiery spark_-"

"_But a flint holds fire_," he countered triumphantly. "I told you I'd come prepared this time. Took me awhile to find who C.G.R. is…in the end, she was in my book of nursery rhymes!"

"And who is she?"

"Christina Georgina Rosetti."

She groaned. "Fine. You win. Just don't let it happen again."

"What? Do you really think I'd let a lady like you in danger?"

"Without a second thought," she said matter-of-factly.

"I'm hurt," he said mockingly.

"I apologize for my callous tongue," she said, matching his tone. "Please forgive me if you could not handle such insults."

"Well excuse me, Dorothy," he said, grinning. "Is the Emerald City not to your liking?" She rolled her eyes at him. I stared. "What are you looking at?" he snapped at me.

"You don't get along with any of your siblings, or anyone in the neighborhood," I said, shocked. "But you get along with _her_?"

"So? She's only a little younger than me, and I can deem to associate with people over ten, if they're suitable."

"I'm eleven!"

"You're a peasant."

"Not exactly," Charlie supplied, nodding at his house. Even here we could hear the loud bickering.

"She also knows her place, besides getting ideas above her station." I saw Charlie smile slightly at this, and Emerald's eyes darken a little. "And besides," Ebony continued, "You know who she is, don't you?"

I frowned. "Uh….she's Emerald?"

He blinked. "Oh, Em, you _cannot _be serious. You didn't even tell him who you are?"

"I did not want to intimidate him," she said.

"I'll do it for you," he said happily, and before she could stop him he said, "Let me introduce you to Duchess Emerald of the Richmond Acres, third-in-line to the throne."

I choked. "You're third-in-line? Wouldn't that make you…a princess?"

"Technically," she said, glaring at Ebony, "I'm fourth-in-line-"

"Not if your uncle is as sick as I hear-" he crowed.

She shook her head at him, her dark curls falling gracefully. "You shouldn't speak of such things—it's treason. But yes, I might soon be third-in-line, and I'm not a princess because I wasn't born to the King of Richmond—rather, the duke, his brother."

Ebony continued. "He's childless, though, so if he dies…."

"I still won't be a princess unless my father is very, very generous," she snapped at him, suddenly angry. "Or have you forgotten?"

He paled. "I didn't mean it like that-"

"What?" I said, completely confused.

"We do not need to talk about this," Emerald said loudly. "Now, my father has both invited you for tea. I doubt that any of you can refuse except Hanso." They both nodded sullenly. Ebony's father would probably want him to make nice with a future princess (or whatever she'll be), and Charlie's parents and Grandmother would die if he would simply past this chance up. My mom, on the other hand, wouldn't care a bit if I refused.

Then I realized.

She was giving me a distraction. A way out.

"Uh, yeah, I better get going," I said. "Excuse me."

With that, I hurried back to the house. As luck would have it, Mrs. Daley was there in the living room. "Your relatives have taken their arguments up in the study," she told me. "I suppose it'll only be an hour or so when your mother comes back down. Why aren't you with Charlie and Emerald?"

"I wanted to ask you something."

"Really, dear? And what sort of something?"

I took a deep breath. Now was the time to say it. "You're hiding something."

"What?"

"You're really powerful. I _know _it," I said firmly.

"Ah." She put her sewing down. "And I suppose it was your little friend who told you? The black Acara?"

"Yes," I replied. "I mean, she said she sensed a lot of power in you."

"The same is true in reverse," she told me. "Now. Even if I am powerful, why would you need to know about it?"

"You work in my cousin's house," I said slowly. "If you're so powerful, then why didn't you prevent the fire? How come I saw you in photographs of hundreds of years ago? Who _are _you? I am _not _willing to let this go, especially if you're evil-"

She began to laugh. "Oh, my. You are paranoid."

I shrugged. "I have to be, to keep my family and friends safe. And even then it isn't enough," I added darkly, remembering Kayley.

She looked at me strangely. "Do you want me to tell you a story, dear?"

"What? But-"

"Stories have more truth to them than you might realize," she told me. "Besides, we might get overheard."

I took a deep breath. She was my cousin's and mom's housekeeper, and generally a nice lady whenever I came over. I must not scream. "Okay."

"Once upon a time," she said in a quiet voice. "There lived a lady who was the housekeeper of a Kacheek. She had a husband, and a daughter."

A what now?

"The boy she took care of fell in love with her daughter, and her parents granted her permission readily enough. _His _parents, though…were less enthusiastic. After all, they didn't want their only son betrothed to a servant girl. Especially of that son would one day be king of Brightvale."

"Say what?"

She gave me a sad little smile. "That got your interest, didn't it? Luckily, he had a cousin twice-removed which he abdicated to. Unfortunately, that wasn't what his parents had in mind when they ordered him to find a solution."

"So in short, they ordered him to dump her," I said flatly.

"Correct. The prince, rebellious, asked me—I mean, the housekeeper—for help, as she was known to be a wise woman. She advised him to…to form a law. Princes used to be able to do that, you know; and Meridell was really a tyranny then. He ruled that if the parents of the betrothed girl agreed, a couple were bound to marry."

It sunk in.

"You?" I said in disbelief. "YOU were responsible for the Tradition?"

"Shh, now," she whispered. "Let me continue. The boy's parents were so ashamed, they were forced to throw him out, though they couldn't bear to leave him penniless. Instead, they made him a lord of the Meridell Acres, a far cry from a prince though. But he wasn't the one they were angry of. They turned their sorrows to a…to someone else, instead."

"Who?"

"It's best that I don't tell you," she said. "I will tell you, though, that she was dark and beautiful and dangerous, and when she offered to help, the royal family couldn't resist. No one could against her, really. She's very persuasive."

A part of my mind leapt to Masila, but that simply wasn't possible. She wasn't hundreds of years old.

"But little did they know that every wish had a consequence. In punishing the housekeeper, they punished their own son as well. The lady and her husband were forced to serve the family forever until one of them said that they didn't need her anymore…and even then, she and her husband would not rest in peace, for the enchantress had cursed the daughter and son."

"Cursed?" Even Masila couldn't do that. "How the heck-"

"She had the power of a fallen Faerie, though how she obtained it is a different story," she murmured. "The _extended _royal family – this does not include the current one in Meridell, whom have all but forgotten their connection to the Windsors – were cursed with ill luck until the Tradition, the thing that had allowed them to exist in the first place, was broken."

"Wait a minute. The curse is just bad luck?"

"But how much does a thief depend on luck, my dear?" she pointed out mildly.

I deflated. "A lot." Sometimes, it could mean the difference between life and death. I remembered all the bad things that were happening to Charlie—the fire, almost losing his best friend, maybe losing his fortune (though I guess he counts that one as a blessing), and that kind of stuff. What could go wrong next? "But…the Tradition? It has to be removed or something?"

"Until it's broken," she corrected. "I had hoped that your mother would be able to do it. She was an amazing little girl, and always got her way. She did, in a way—her branch of the family is free, as far as I can tell. No ill luck for you."

"I wouldn't count on that," I muttered. I've been attacked far more often than just about any other Guild member, and there's what happened to Dad. "Anyway, couldn't we go to one of the kings or something and asked it to be removed?"

"Oh, how I wish it was that easy," Mrs. Daley sighed. "No, the kings will not do it, unless you can finish off the witch, thereby breaking the spell that forces them never to lift the law, and ask for it. But even without the spell, royalty rarely ever do anything the commons say anyway, and blue blood is precious to them, so you'd have to tread carefully."

"Royalty? What about Emerald?"

Mrs. Daley cocked her head. "It's…possible, if she could put enough pressure….but I'm warning you, Hanso, to not meddle with her affairs. You should have seen what happened to her m- Oh, never mind. But besides that, it is highly unlikely that she will ever have enough power to influence her own kingdom, must less the others'."

"Why?"

"I'm afraid," she said sadly, "You'll have to ask that yourself."

"Is that why you have an aura of power?" I questioned.

She shook her head. "I went to Queen Fyora about our problem. She was very sympathetic, but there wasn't much she could do."

Figures.

"She did, however, grant me powers. Small ones, to do with household duties. The Windsor family would forget my age. My husband and I would provide the very best services, so that they'd have to keep us."

"Oh." I really didn't know what to do. This was a _completely _new set of problems…well, no, not really, I'd been wanting to get rid of the Tradition anyway. But this makes it even more urgent. I don't think I'd want to live forever…it'd be too sad. I wondered how many of her great-great-great-grandchildren Mrs. Daley had seen pass away, knowing that she'd never be able to follow them. Charlie's family didn't even know.

Wow. Looks like I've found another long-lost relative.

I decided I couldn't focus on this, not now with the threat of Masila still looming over us. This could wait another time. There was one problem, though, that couldn't wait…

"Could you fix these?" I asked her, giving her the two Obsidian stones while in my head praying _please don't let her be evil, please don't let her be evil, if she is I had just given Kayley's life over to her…._

"I'm afraid not," she replied, albeit with a touch of sympathy. "It would use up my entire life force, and like I said, I can't rest in peace. It would be better to stay here for the whole family." Personally, I thought she was right, but I couldn't help but also think she was being selfish.

Still, I managed to control my emotions a little. "Could you keep it? To slow down what's happening a little and buy me some time?"

"I don't think that would be the best idea," she said gently. "That would just make her death long and agonizing and-" She saw my face. "All right, dear." She took them and placed it carefully in her pocket. "But truly, it might be more merciful if she died quickly."

"It might be more merciful if she didn't die, period!" I couldn't help but snap. Then I realized what I said.

She shook her head. "Trust me, dear. That wouldn't be a mercy at all."

Week 4

I was _supposed _to leave well enough alone.

I mean, seriously, haven't I already done enough? Or you can look at it in a different point of view and say that I did too little. I mean, I did bring Hannah hear. But that's about it. Go tell a grown-up and let her save you. Even if that grown-up was in Krawk Island, it's still asking for a rescue. I never really did anything—and when it counted, when _someone _had to protest to Kanrik that letting Sam, a teenager, fight for the Thieves' Guild was a stupid idea, who did it?

Kayley, who is dying.

But I'm not really one for the heroics. In fact, I would've actually followed orders, biting my nails and praying that Kanrik made it, if it weren't for the bird.

I woke up uncharacteristically early that day, like I had the week before. Like something was terribly, terribly wrong. Weird thing was that I was having that feeling ever since Brynn's birthday. But that couldn't be right. What's the matter with a guard girl turning eleven? Besides, you know, getting a step closer to when the _real _rivalry of thieves and guards sunk in when we were grown-ups…still, I wasn't worried about that before.

Something else had gone bad.

And so I had gone to school early, hoping that maybe I could consult Jacques's books or something (he does have an extensive library in there, almost as much as the public library). Doing so, I ran into the twins in the hall. They were whispering about something.

"—Move back, that's impossible! Our parents would-"

"Would do what, Juliet? You know we can't risk another fight-"

"Neither can they, at least, that's one good thing-"

"And at least they won't come here-"

"But what if we meet in lunch? What will I say when people see that I-"

"The truth, maybe?"

"No way!"

"You know Hanso's going to figure it out one way or another-"

"NO! Julius, I absolutely REFUSE to say anything to him, and if you-"

"Hi," I said loudly. They both turned around.

Julius frowned. "Aw, crap. I thought my detecting skills were working fine."

"Guess you've gotten too caught up with your conversation?" I suggested.

He grinned sheepishly. "How much did you hear?"

"Not much," I said honestly. Juliet breathed out. "Although," I couldn't help but add, "I did hear the part about 'I refuse to tell Hanso'…..something you're not telling me, guys?"

Juliet blushed a deep red. "It's nothing important."

"But-"

"At least, compared to our current situation. Kayley's dying!" she said desperately. "We need to find some cure-"

"You're really good at distracting me," I grumbled. "Tell ya what. Promise that this isn't life-threatening?" The twins glanced at each other, which isn't really a good sign. But after a slight hesitation, they both nodded. "Okay. I won't talk about this until we get Kayley healed. Which we will." I frowned at Juliet for a moment. "Though really, I'd be interested in anything _you _wouldn't want to say to me."

She just gave me a nervous smile and opened the door to the classroom….

…..Then promptly shut it back again. "Uh-oh" was all she said. That was enough to get me and Julius race to the doorway, ignore her protests and warnings, and open the way ourselves to see what happened.

It was chaos. Desks were in ruins. Papers were scattered in the floor. The bookcase had toppled over, and the habitation was in shatters with bugs crawling over the floor. The only thing that wasn't ripped apart was the map on the wall, for some strange reason. It looked like that sandstorm Masila unleash had kept going to our classroom. Only, I knew it wasn't Masila. If she knew how to get in here, Kanrik would have been dead years ago. Besides, the culprit was still in that very room.

Flynn was pecking at everything crazily, scratching anything that was scratch-able and ripping anything plush with his sharp beak. His eyes were wild. As if that wasn't enough to cause alarm, he kept shouting, "DANGER! DANGER! FRIENDS IN DANGER! GO! NOW! HELP! DANGER! DEATH! DANGER!"

And with a sinking feeling, I knew he was talking about Brynn.

"Dear Fyora," said a voice. "What the heck happened here?" Master Jacques stood, open-mouthed at the damage. He dropped the pile of books he was holding. His eyes darted around the room, and then settled at the Wocky twins. "What did you two _do_?"

"We didn't do anything!" Juliet said desperately.

"And if I might add," Julius seethed, "That was mean, to assume we did it."

"You _always_ do it," said Jacques exasperatedly, scanning the mess.

"No, we don't," Juliet protested, as I piped up, "That's extremely unfair!"

"I'm sorry, Hanso, _you _didn't have to teach two flaming balls of energy-"

"Now that's being really unfair," said Juliet indignantly. "We're finally controlling ourselves."

"Are you?" he said with mock surprise. As he turned away, I couldn't help but notice the hurt expressions on the twins' faces.

"DANGER!" Flynn shrieked when he saw Jacques. "DANGER! FRIENDS!"

He stared at him. "Oh. You're the one who's causing the damage…" He shrugged slightly. "So, what friends? This better not be one of your pranks, Flynn, and I know for certain my crew is safe, they sent me a message not one hour ago-"

Flynn shrieked again. "DANGER! MUST GO! NOW! DANGER!"

"What happened in here?" Kayley asked, entering the classroom. After a few minutes, Razor went inside as well, gaping at what happened. I briefly explained. Unlike the rest of the people, however, she seemed to take Flynn seriously. She looked at him with her sharp grey eyes. "We know that our friends are in danger, Flynn," she stated. "Sam is in Terror Mountain. But Kanrik's going to get him."

He squawked even louder.

"MISSION! THE MISSION! STILL UNDER GO! DANGER! FRIENDS! DANGER!"

Jacques looked stunned. Kayley's eyes widened. "Sweet Fyora…"

"What? What's happened?"

"There's someone else in that Mountain," she murmured. "Alive. You remember a certain mission which got destroyed soon afterwards, don't you?"

I paled. "My…dad?"

"We don't know that yet," she said swiftly. "But it's possible. Or it could be…" Her face darkened. "Well, whoever survived is still there. At least, that what Flynn says. I think."

"GO!" He shrieked. "NOW! GO! FRIENDS! HELP!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," protested Jacques. "I'm not about to let my students go gallivanting off without permission-"

"We won't go without permission," I said, suddenly struck with inspiration. "We'll ask our parents."

Everyone stared at me like I was crazy.

"Like they'd ever say yes to that!" Razor pointed out, and the rest of the class agreed.

"Say that we'll go, even without permission," I said solemnly. "Under that threat, I think they'll all say yes anyway."

"How about you?" said Juliet, concerned. "You can't lie."

I shrugged, trying to disguise the fact that I was worried about this as well. "I'll figure it out."

"You're all mad," Kayley supplemented.

"Hey! You're the one who found out what Flynn was saying and then told us-"

"I should've thought of that," she sighed. "I should have never said anything out loud."

"But you did," I said smugly. "Which is why I now really have to save the people—and rescue Sam and Kanrik," I said, it finally dawning on me. "Kanrik's plan, whatever it is, isn't going to work, right, Flynn!"

"YES! SQUAWK! GO! NOW!"

"Now hold on a minute-" Jacques was saying.

"We don't have a minute!" I cried. "Someone, go for Hannah, we'll ask her if-"

Julius and Juliet had already left when I finished the sentence. Kayley was looking at me oddly. "You're really going to go through with this, are you?"

"Yes," I said firmly.

Her eyes seemed worried, but she looked away. "You do know that once you get there, you'll have no idea where to start. Terror Mountain isn't _just _a mountain, Hanso, despite the name. It's a whole different country, with its own problems and hiding places. It would be ultimately stupid if you go there without knowing where to go." I opened my mouth to say I didn't care, or maybe I'd ask Master Jacques (though really, based on what happened with Garin's crew, I didn't have that much faith in pirates), when she continued, "However, if you really do want to go, I…"

"You'll come with me?"

"No! I mean, yes, of course I'm going, who can question that? What I meant was that you might know someone who knows at least one place to hide there."

"Really?" I said eagerly. "Who?"

She rolled her eyes. "Must I spell it out?"

"Please do."

"Does the name Tyler Shuriken ring a bell?"

I blinked. "Yes…."

"His father might have mentioned the hiding place once," she told me.

"I know that," I said. "My dad told me the hiding place, too. But that's been _months _ago. Nobody can possibly remember what someone said for that long, unless he wrote it down or something."

"Oh, believe me," she said grimly. "_He _can."

I studied her. "Any reason why you can't come and ask with me?"

"Yes."

"Can you tell me that reason?"

"No."

"Didn't think so."

(Line)

I really had no idea how Kayley knew Tyler's address, and I didn't want to know. I did have my suspicions, of course. She had been searching around for spies—my guess is that she suspected him and followed him around until it became apparent that he wasn't it, and then moved on. But while she was doing it, I guess I did something pretty bad. Or she simply didn't like him because he was an Assassin. Or…I don't know.

With my luck, all the guesses I have are wrong.

But Kayley herself told me to ask him, so I went along to his house. It was a little bit secluded – no, a _lot _secluded – taking me about two hours to get there. And even then, it was hard to find; they lived closer to the Haunted Woods than to Brightvale, it seemed, though I guess I'm just exaggerating. That meant that their home was camouflaged in the forest darkness, and I had to scan around several times before I even saw the outline of the cottage.

I gotta admit, it as pretty neat. They were really more Shenkuuan than Brightvalean. There was a pond in front of the house, with a bridge that you'll have to cross over to get inside. It was filled with water lilies and reeds, obviously thriving. The roof's tips were slightly slanted upwards, and you had to slide the doors instead of opening them the normal way. All in all, it was cool.

"Can I help you?" said a lady. She was a pretty blue Nimmo, with waist-length black hair lined with grey. She had a tired expression on her face.

"Um…is your son there?" I asked.

She smiled. "Which one, dear? I have four."

"Tyler."

"Ah, my only sane one," she said with a slight tease in her voice. "Is he your friend? He truly does need some, you know," she added before I could say anything. "He's old ones are shunning him since we went to the Assassins…and it was our fault, not his. I think he gets lonely at times, though he never shows it. Just meditates all day."

"Yeah, I guess you can say he's my friend," I said neutrally.

"Good. What's your name again, dear?"

"Hanso Laron."

She nearly stumbled over. "_Hanso Laron?_"

"…Yeah," I said, thinking that it might've been a mistake to reveal my name, even to thieves. Especially if they were former Assassins.

"Oh, my," she said softly. A suspicious look crossed over her face. "You're not involving him in anything dangerous, are you?"

"No," I promised. "I just want to ask him something."

"All right. He's in the back garden." She pointed to a gate near her. I crossed the bridge quickly and entered.

Tyler was the picture of peacefulness, surrounded my candles in the garden. He was sitting cross-legged on a carpet, murmuring something other his breath. His eyes were closed. At least, they were until he heard a twig snap. Then he opened one eye. Seeing it was just me, he closed it again and kept on doing whatever he was doing.

"Uh, what are you doing?"

"Regulating my Chi," he said calmly. "Wait, I'm almost done, just one more minute…" He went back to chanting for awhile, and then opened his eyes properly. He stood up. "So, what brings you here? I take it that it's not good?"

"Not at all," I admitted.

"Is this about your friend?" He looked around. "Bridgette isn't here, so if you want me to do something…"

"No, it's not really about her," I said.

"Oh. Did you find a way to help her, then?" he asked curiously.

"Sort of. I gave it to this lady who your sister said had a powerful aura-"

"The hypocrite!" he said, smiling slightly. "She said that we weren't supposed to help at all. But that's good, I guess. You do know it'll only buy you some time."

"How much?"

"The most optimistic view is the end of the first month next year," he said gravely.

I bit my lip. That didn't seem nearly enough time to find a cure. "Is there anything I can do? Any solution?"

"The only thing I can think of is sacrificing yourself." He arched an eyebrow. "You're not going to do that." There was no option of an argument in his voice. "Oh, and I might also suggest not to let her use her powers. If she does, it'll speed up the dying process a lot faster, since she's actually using her life force to-"

"Wait a minute. She has powers?"

He titled his head. "She could have. It's an assumption most of us think, if you have more Chi then you can strike out more, not just in a physical sense. I have a feeling that if she was in her normal state, she'd be able to cast…something." He frowned. "Or she might not. Maybe she'd just have a more powerful constitution or whatever. She could even be _resistant _to magic and certain talents. I've seen types of people like that. In any case, she isn't the most powerful person I've ever seen." For a moment, his eyes turned sad, but he shook his head as if to clear it.

"Thanks. But really, I'm not here to talk about Kayley-"

"Oh, that's her name-"

I am so doomed.

"Don't worry," he said, smirking. "She's one of the suspicious ones? I won't tell."

"All right," I said. "Just wondering, but do you remember where your dad said his hiding place would be on Terror Mountain?"

He looked at me suspiciously. "How do you know if I'd remember it? How would you know if he'd even say that to me?"

"As for the latter question, I knew because my dad told it to me, though I couldn't remember. How you could is kind of confusing even to me-"

"Did Bridgette or any of my family tell you?"

"What?"

He frowned. "You don't know. But somebody else does. Who's been spying on me?" He wondered out loud. "I think I can guess. The suspicious one..." He sighed. "I guess I am pretty suspicious, aren't I? This girl really is dangerous, with or without powers."

"Tyler, what are you talking about?"

"I'm saying that for the first time ever, someone has figured out that I-" He smiled slightly. "Never mind. Maybe I'll tell you another time."

"Tyler," I groaned.

He just laughed at me. "Dad said the hiding place would be somewhere near Salsom—anyone who knows the Mountain can take you there. He didn't dare tell me anything else, though, in case someone would blackmail me or something."

"That's good," I commented. "Thanks."

"No problem." He turned back to his ritual thingy, then hesitated. He glanced at me. "Look, Hanso, I know it's none of my business really, but be real careful with your friend, okay? From what I heard, you really wouldn't want to lose her, whether she's a friend or only an ally."

"All right. One more thing, Tyler…what happened to the most powerful person you were talking about?"

He flinched. "I really shouldn't have told you about that…seriously, it was only once that I used Soft Sight on that person when I was really little, I couldn't be sure…"

"What happened?"

"Died," he said flatly, and that was that.

(Line)

"Bad news, Hanso," Juliet said to me as soon as I got back. She had a worried look on her face. "Hannah's gone."

"_What?_"

"Brynn, Violet, and the rest of the Rebellion…they, kinda…asked Hannah to help them get to Terror Mountain…."

"Let me get this straight. _Brynn _took my explorer. _Brynn._"

"Yep."

"She took Hannah as _her _ride to Terror Mountain."

"Yes."

"Is she out of her mind?" I cried. Juliet chuckled. "This isn't fair! Now how are we supposed to get to-"

"A teeny bit of persuasion, perhaps," said Mom behind me. I blinked and turned around. "Before you say anything, hon, yes, you can go."

I stared at her.

"Really," she continued, "I didn't think I can stop you from going anyway. Just promise me to…to come back for Christmas, okay?" She took a deep breath. "Last year your dad promised will be together-"

"And I promise I'll do the best that I can to make that happen," I pledged. I don't think that Mom knows that Dad might still be alive. I didn't tell her—it might get her hopes up. It was scary, this thinking, and suddenly I realized why Mom kept her mouth shut about herself. But if Dad was alive, I'm going to find him.

"Of course, I am going as well," said Morgana. "What? Stop looking so horrified. Masila is my niece, and if anyone has a chance of talking sense into her-"

"You wanted her to kill Sam!"

"To make it quick. I didn't want the poor boy to suffer," she countered. I wasn't sure she was being honest or dishonest. Maybe it was just a partial truth

"Don't I get a say in this?" Jacques asked. We all turned to him. "Because, y'know, without the Guild Leader's permission I'm the only one who has access to a boat. Unless you'd rather rent one, of course," he nodded at Mom, "But in which case you'd either need to hire a crew – and you don't want to trust your kids with some random adults, especially sailors, believe me – or you want to let your kids sail themselves, which, I assure you, is a very, very bad idea."

"Master Jacques," said Mom tightly, "All of your students' parents have given permission. Right, kids?"

The twins nodded, and Razor muttered, "My mom actually said 'It's nice that you're actually doing something important for once.'" Kayley just shrugged, which I guess was a yes.

"So," Mom continued, "I don't see why-"

"Because it's mad," Jacques interrupted. "My old friends haven't been this reckless, and that is saying something."

"Please, Master Jacques," I begged. I don't usually like groveling, but now seemed like a good time to try it. "Isn't there any way we could convince you otherwise?"

He stared at me for a long time. Then he sighed, went to his desk, and took out a compass. "Hanso," he ordered, "I want you to look straight at the arrow. Nothing else, at all. You will follow it wherever it leads until it tells you to stop."

"Until it tells me to stop?" I repeated.

"Yes."

Mom stared at him. "But that's ridic-"

"Don't tell me what's ridiculous, Lizzie Laron," he snapped. "If the kids want a ride, he'll do it."

"It's okay, Mom," I said as I took the compass. As soon as I touched it, I knew it was magic. It just hummed with enchantment. The arrow instantly whirled around, spinning in all directions. _Look at the arrow. Nothing else. _I focused all my concentration in it. _Point where I have to go. _

The arrow stopped. And then suddenly, it began jerking rapidly in different directions, and it took all my thief instincts to keep up with it. I tell you, the experience was really, really strange. It almost seemed like the darn thing was ordering my brain around through my eyes. I don't even know how that's possible.

Right.

Left.

Down.

Backwards.

A little more to the right.

No! The other right!

More to the front.

Skip two steps.

Zig-zag.

Around.

Stop.

Left.

Go front. One step, two steps, three steps. We reached a wall, I could tell, and I sincerely hoped that it wouldn't ask me to bang my head into it for fun. Instead, I sensed it wanted to be pointed upwards, for some reason. I tilted it, and came moving it up, up, up….

"Oh, my," said Mom's voice behind me.

The compass released me from whatever spell it made. I nearly stumbled backwards. I tore my eyes away from the compass…right onto the map, the only thing left undamaged in the classroom. The arrow was pointing straight at Terror Mountain.

Jacques sighed. "Well, I suppose that settles it. It's a good thing they're only at the coast of Meridell," he muttered. "It'll only take a few days for them to get here."

"Who?" Mom asked.

"Some old friends of mine."

**Kyanite_Archer had this interesting idea—a challenge with authors writing something together. I don't know that many details, but I'm definitely willing to join. I suggest you PM her if you're interested. :) By the way, the poem above was not mine. I put in the author's real name. **


	47. November at Age 11

**Just to make it clear for the future: the poems Ebony and Emerald recite (yes, there will be more) in HJ are not mine. They tell who the real author is in the text, or else I'll put it in an A/N. I replaced seagull with pawkeet, by the way. And the 'shortest horror story,' I found from a friend, and I suppose it's on the web if you want to look it up. **

The Month of Storing (November) Age 11

Week 1

I leaned out against the deck, feeling sick.

It wasn't that I was sea-sick—my last adventure on the seas pretty much cured me of that—but what happened recently, before I even went on board. I didn't have much time to write it down, since after Master Jacques sent the message, he said he was sure his friends would be arriving the next day. He sternly told my mom that she couldn't come (no one else's parents asked) as they had barely any room in the ship for my class, let alone another lady whom, by ship's regulations, required a room all to herself. She sighed at the old-fashioned rule, but relented. We didn't talk much that night, but Mom gave me a goodnight kiss and sang me a lullaby, just like when I was little.

I'll be back for Christmas. I promised.

I woke up early in the morning; she had, too. We ate breakfast quietly. Then she said, "Perhaps you want to say good-bye to your friends at Uptown. They won't be seeing you quite awhile, you know, ships' journeys tend to take long…" She trailed off, and then sighed. "Unless you want me to tell your friends myself? That's all right, if you want."

"No," I said, standing up. "I'll do it." I owed my friends that, at least. I felt a bit guilty, leaving them Uptown to deal with this whole mess. Not just for the sea voyage; ever since I found out I was one of them, I've been avoiding the high class like I would do to guards (except Brynn, of course). When I get back, I'm promising myself to spend more time there.

As soon as we got near Charlie's mansion, we heard screams. Angry, furious screams of – who else? – Auntie Catherine. Mom sighed. "I better go deal with this," she said. "Charlie seems to be up, though." Apparently, this was the normal time that rich kids woke up. I glanced near the street, and there he was, looking slightly sleepy and reading a book. And he had company.

Emerald glanced upwards. "Hanso. What are you doing here this time of day?"

"I have a boat to catch later," I said casually. "I just wanted to say good-bye. Don't worry," I added. "I'll be back for Christmas."

"Good riddance, I say," Ebony supplemented, his arms crossed.

"Ebony!" Emerald exclaimed disapprovingly.

"What?" He mock-pouted. "Are you taking his side over me?"

"Well, it's rude of you to say that."

"He's a peasant," he said stubbornly.

"It's okay," I said before they could argue any further. She seemed to be the only one he didn't mind arguing with—the rest of us are usually 'beneath his notice.'

She sighed disgustedly at him. He held up his hands. "Fine, fine. I apologize….Hansel?"

"Hanso!"

"Whatever."

"You really sounded like your sister right then," I told him.

He glared at me. "Do. Not. Compare. Me. To. Violet."

"And what's wrong with Violet?" Emerald asked. "Last time I came, you and her got along-"

"She became a guard!" he snapped. "Girls – especially rich girls – don't _do _that."

Emerald arched an eyebrow. "I see." Her tone became cool and icy, her eyes dark. Ebony noticed.

He bowed. "I seem to have upset you, Your Grace," he said solemnly. "And so, to cheer you up, I have remembered another poem."

"You'd be hard-pressed to find one I haven't read yet," she remarked coldly, looking in no particular direction. But a hint of interest showed on her face.

He cleared his throat. "_She stood there by the ocean/The breeze gently lifted her hair/ of the pawkeet just above her/ She was totally unaware. _Recognize it yet, Em?"

She shook her head. "No, but it sounds nice. Go on." Charlie and I were curious, too.

He continued gleefully. "_Seemingly floating in the sky,_

_The pawkeet's wings were still._

_I think it paused to take good aim,_

_And dropped a mess at will."_

"Ew!" Emerald made a face.

He laughed. "It gets better. _Too late she looked above her head, _

_Where the seagull hovered now. _

_Then as I watched in horror, _

_Bird droppings hit her brow."_

Charlie and I winced sympathetically_._

_"Her scream hit the balmy air._

_Splat! The stuff hit her face._

_Then she saw my camera and me, _

_And stomped off in disgrace." _He gave us a grin. "Duchess, lord, and peasant, you have just heard the famous 'Picture Perfect' by Annabel Sheila."

"I really must search that up," said Emerald, shaking her head. But Ebony's plan worked—she was grinning at him. Charlie and I were too busy cracking up to say anything, and soon, Ebony joined us. Emerald sighed at us. "_Boys_. You are nuts."

"Says the girl who willingly hangs out with us," Ebony countered. She rolled her eyes.

Then an angry shout pierced the air. "You're FIRED!"

Charlie paled. "That was Mrs. Daley and my mum. We better go-"

I ran rapidly, practically dragging Charlie along and leaving Ebony and Emerald in the dust. We sped up to find Aunt Catherine screaming at Mrs. Daley, and Uncle William trying to comfort her. "Kate, be reasonable-"

"Reasonable? She _dares _take the side of a beggar and a thief over me, a high-born lady? Ha! We'll see who gets the fortune in the end; but I want that woman and her husband out of my house, NOW!"

"Really, Catherine," Grandmother said disapprovingly. "This is unseemly behavior. Mrs. Daley and her husband has been with us since….since…." A strange kind of trance came over her. She blinked. "What was I saying?"

"You can't fire her," Mom said desperately.

"Well, she's not yours to keep," Catherine snapped. "If you haven't noticed, Lady Elizabeth, this house is not yours, these servants is not yours, they are MINE, and if I have to spill blood to keep them, then so be it!"

"Mum's gone mad," Charlie whispered.

"Enough," Mrs. Daley said herself, before Mom and Grandmother (for once on the same side) could say anything. "The lady of the house does now want me here…I should leave."

"Mrs. Daley!" Charlie's face was horrified and dismayed.

"At least permit me to say good-bye?" The old woman asked Catherine. The latter gave her a curt nod, and she kneeled down so she was face to face with Charlie. "I'm sorry, love," she whispered. "But I must go."

"But-"

"You don't know how much bad luck I've caused your family," she said, giving me a significant look. "If you did, perhaps you'd agree. No, don't say anything," she told him when she saw he was about to protest. "I've taken care of you, yes, but maybe I've coddled you too much. I do think it's time for you to grow up, dear."

"But I need you."

"No, you don't." She kissed him on the forehead. "Your mother doesn't deserve you, darling. I, for one, would be proud to have you as my son. I'll ask just one thing of you: You mustn't take everything at face value."

"What?"

She hugged him. "You're too trusting, dear. Sometimes the best of us have deceit in our hearts…and sometimes, the worst of us can still be redeemed. Don't give up on anyone, including yourself." He looked at her tearfully and nodded. She gestured to me. "Hanso."

I bit my lip, wondering what she would have to say to me. I know she's a cool old lady, but now I know what she did I don't think I would ever look at her the same way again. I don't even really know her—that honor goes to Charlie. So I was a bit apprehensive on what in Neopia would she have to say to me. "Yeah?"

"Some lies even you can't detect," she told me. "Some are half-truths. I am not telling you to seek them all out—the one with your little friend, for instance, is too dangerous for even you to contemplate for now—but some…one in particular…would help you."

"What is it?" I asked eagerly.

She shook her head, but she whispered in my ear. "Your grandmother could be a lovely lady when she wants to…but she would lie to disguise shame."

I frowned. I already knew _that. _

Then I realized something. "You know about Kayley! That deep, dark secret she's been hiding…"

"A little bit," she said softly. "If my instincts are correct, then she can be very, very dangerous one day…if she lives. Perhaps it's better that she doesn't."

"What!" I glared at her. "I am not going to let her just-"

"I apologize, my dear. I do not know the girl well." She looked me in the eye. "I will keep my promise. I will take care of the…the stones."

"Will you still be able to?" I asked doubtfully.

She gave me a sad, mysterious little smile. "Perhaps even more so, love, as my situation's changed."

"Well…okay then," I said, stepping backwards.

She gave my arm a squeeze. "Bless you, my dear. And please…take care of them." She stood up.

Mrs. Daley and my mom embraced. She cupped her head in her hands and said something to her, and Mom blinked and smiled wryly. She also gave her a kiss on the forehead, and then withdrew from the chamber. There was an awkward silence.

Mom broke it. "So, son—I believe you have a boat to catch."

* * *

><p>The Black Pawkeet was just as I remembered it. The black sails were flying in the wind threateningly, the wood that made up the boat was still strong, and the crew still just as flippant. Everyone was waiting, with their packs sitting around, all probably chuck-full of supplies that we might need. I didn't know if our coats were strong enough to subvert the coldness I heard Terror Mountain had, but I knew we were a lot more prepared than Brynn. I had a feeling that using Hannah – MY explorer – as a ride was a spur-of-the-moment decision.<p>

At least they'll have a guide.

All we got is that rotten compass. Jacques said that it was actually magical, showing us where we were needed, which makes it _so _much more important and reliable. So it's a _magic _rotten compass. Gah. Again with the magic attachment! Flynn, of course, had decided to abandon us, heading off to who-knows-where probably to look for worms.

Great. The mission is so hopeless that even the _bird _didn't want to hang with us.

Garin didn't have any of that, though. His grin was the widest I've ever seen it on top of the ship, and the first thing he did when he slid down the ropes impressively (to Jacques's dismay, the twins looked as if they would be tempted to learn that) was to go right up to me. "So, kid," he began, "Did ya fool us to get another ride again for your friends?"

Jacques's jaw dropped. "What?"

"Oh, there you are, old friend!" Garin said happily, giving him a hug. "It's been such a long-"

"Did one of _my _students ask _you_ for a ride?" He scowled at me. "No doubt stealing a message and somehow figuring out the code, I guess?"

"Uh…."

"I should've known! The dock-master combs through every single ship, he would've definitely found a stowaway, and no other sailor would actually let someone onboard other than you-"

"Calm down, sourpuss," Garin said. "That was months ago! And pretty cool, if you ask me. Don't tell me you've turned land-lubber."

Jacques smiled slightly at that. "Um, no, no I haven't."

"Prove it."

"And how would I do that?"

"Jump in the water."

"Excuse me? No."

"Come on. You said you'd do it."

"I said no such thing."

"That's not what I heard," I piped up.

"You always did say we should keep our promises, Master Jacques," Razor said.

"We agree," the twins chorused.

Even Kayley, in her weakened state, smirked. "The majority has spoken, sir. It's best you do it before a mutiny rises up."

"A mutiny?" he said in disbelief. With that, the whole class drew their daggers and pointed it at him until he was at the edge of the dock. "Oh, come on," he complained. "You wouldn't actually-"

We pushed him over the edge.

He screamed a lot of things at us while he was falling, but in the end, he proved 'he wasn't a landlubber' by quickly bobbing up and floating. "Happy now?" he asked. But he couldn't help smile. I think, really, that he belonged in the sea more than he belonged in the classroom.

"Aye," Garin laughed. "Get on board, my friend, and we'll sail you anywhere from Meridell to Terror Mountain."

"The latter, please," he called up.

Garin stared. "Seriously? Besides Moltara and Faerieland, that's like the farthest land away!"

"I did say we should always keep our promises," he said, grinning. Then he sobered up. "Remember, it's our sister that's out there."

"Sister?" I asked.

"Hannah," Garin replied. He sighed. "Keeps getting into scrapes with no way out. It's a miracle we haven't been driven mad now."

"Are you sure?" said a dry, cold voice. Morgana was in the harbor, with her arms crossed. "I told you I was coming with you. I will not tolerate being left behind after explicitly left instructions that I would."

"Look," Jacques snapped, still floating in the water, "We couldn't let Lizzie Laron come with us, and no offense, lady, she's a lot more suitable than you for this trip-"

"Excuse me? I'm Masila's and Marie's aunt. I should be there for them."

"Let her go," said another voice. Jacques nearly jumped out of the water. It was Caylis. Her sea-blue eyes gazed at somewhere far away, as if she was in a trance. "She's part of the pattern; you have to take her with you." Then she blinked, coming back to herself. "What am I doing here?" Her eyes widened. "Jacques!"

"C-Caylis," he said nervously. "Uh…haven't seen you in a long while? How you've been?"

"Come back on deck!" Garin hollered. "You can catch up with your girlfriend later!"

"She is not my girlfriend!" Jacques bellowed just as Caylis yelled, "He is not my boyfriend!" They both glanced at each other sheepishly before our red-faced teacher clambered back up and went on the ship.

"Garin? Caylis?" Another head went to the surface, this time Isca. "Oh, Hanso, how lovely to see you-"

"Isca," Jacques groaned. "Don't tell me that you knew that he stowed away months ago and refused to tell me what happened!"

"My sister insisted upon it!" she protested. "And my dreams said something very bad would happen if I told you."

"Yes," he agreed. "Hanso would never see anything but the detention room again."

"We're coming with you," Caylis said, changing the subject quickly. The crew, the class, and her sister stared at her. "Oh, don't tell me you haven't felt it, Isca. We're part of the pattern, too."

"But the water's freezing-" She began.

"I can warm the water around us," Caylis promised. "But we must go. I have a feeling our dreams will help us."

So the crew had no choice to accept not one, but three women on the journey. Garin predicted that this wouldn't end well, but hey, the trip seemed pretty far-fetched from the start. We've got to rescue Sam and Kanrik, plus find a way to keep Masila out of our hair once and for all before Christmas time. But at least we have one of the fastest ships in the world (or so the crew had told me). At least there's still hope my dad would still be alive.

Still, staring at the sea and thinking about my problems isn't helping to keep my breakfast down.

Week 2

I guess I'm getting used to waking up early in the morning. Ah, well. It's useful for listening in to conversations.

The sun wasn't even out yet when I decided to get up. I know we weren't _that _close yet, but I could swear that the air was feeling colder. Luckily, it turned out my awesome magic trench coat _did _block out most of the coldness, so I wasn't that bothered. I noticed that Kayley was out of bed, too; I went out to look for her, maybe pin her down on what was happening to her once and for all. She was the one who bound her life to one of the stones (to be honest, I'm not really sure which one, but their intertwined anyway so I guess it doesn't matter), so she _must _know a cure.

That doesn't involve anyone dying in her place.

What made me a little slower than usual, though, was the thought that maybe that there wasn't another cure. As much as I've fought with her a lot, especially over guards, she's like my sister. I did not want her to die, no matter how annoying she was.

Funny, she'd probably say the same thing about me.

She was out on deck, facing out to the sea. But Master Jacques was with her. I strained to hear what they were saying. He seemed to be apologizing for something, but she just shook her head, a half-smile on her face. I strained harder. "…It's okay, you're the only one who remembers my birthday anyway, I don't really expect any presents. The one you gave last year was enough."

"Which you gave to Lilia," he said lightly.

She shrugged. "I thought she would have better use of it."

"What about your parents?" he asked. She didn't answer. "Hm. I suppose you're one of the unlucky ones."

"I suppose you can say that," she said, uncertainly.

"Okay, I'll back off. Really, though, not that many people take much notice of you."

"Just the way I like it."

"You're as smart and as skilled as Hanso, Kayley. And yet you hardly ever get attention unless he himself mentions you. And you've helped the Guild as much as him!"

She frowned at him. "Well, I know you don't _really _like teaching us. You're an okay teacher, but you like being a pirate better. Why don't go back and do it?" That was something I've been wondering, too, but I knew better than to press at him. Now, though…I think deep down, I knew that Kayley was his favorite. My fingers were crossed that she'd be able to weasel this certain piece of information out of him.

What can I say? Even in a deadly mission, I couldn't help but be a snoop.

He stared at her. "It's complicated."

She snorted. "How?" When he hesitated, she added, "It _is _my birthday…"

"A prophecy," he said dryly. "Caylis got it in her head that one of Garin's crew would teach someone powerful, someone who might be able to save Neopia." He shook his head. "I doubt it's true. A few days before that, Caylis and I had a big fight….she knew I was the only one who would be willing to give up the sea for a while, so it's possible she did it to spite me. You're all good students, but I haven't met anyone yet who looks to be able to save the world."

"Looks can be deceiving," Kayley reminded him.

"I suppose so. Anyway, as I can't get you anything this year, is there anything you want for your birthday?"

She thought about it for a bit. "Be nicer to the twins," she said finally.

He opened his mouth and closed it. She rose without another word.

The rest of the journey passed by uneventfully.

Week 3

"Y'know what, I think Hannah was here," said Garin.

"You think?" Jacques said dryly. Whatever Hannah and the Rebellion was doing, I guessed they weren't aiming to be sneaky. Their muddy footprints were left deep in the ground, showing the trail from where their boat was. That's right, I said _was_. Apparently, Hannah didn't tie it up properly ("She always made us do that bit," Jacques grumbled) and so it almost floated away. Garin's crew, however, decided to claim it, and put a Black Pawkeet flag to show who the new owners was.

If Hannah promised to return the ship, that person would be very disappointed.

"I wonder how'll they get back," Julius commented. Juliet looked slightly worried.

Kayley, on the other hand, looked hopeful. "You think they might not be able to? Like, they'd be stuck here?"

"Wouldn't count on it," Garin said. "If Hannah was anything, it was resourceful."

"I don't mean forever," she conversed. "Sooner or later someone from Brightvale's going to send a ship—but maybe a few months."

"By that time, we're probably going to be heading back ourselves," he replied. He looked sternly at his crew. "Don't follow Miss Explorer's example, guys. We've been sailing the Black Pawkeet for years, and we ain't gonna stop now."

"Then what was the extra ship for?" I asked.

Garin shrugged. "A trophy? Eh, it'd be useful to put some of our treasure there, and have an extra vehicle."

"So let me get this straight," said Kayley. "You're going to steal the boat just for the heck of it and possibly leave your so-called sister and the guards here stranded for a few months."

"Yeah. You got a problem with that?"

"No. Not at all." Kayley even looked slightly smug about it. Whatever was ailing her, it wasn't dampening her hatred for guards.

"I got the tents," Juliet commented. "You know, since we don't know where to go and we'll probably be going far."

"Good thinking, girl," said Garin approvingly. "Hannah would _never _remember that. She'd probably be like, 'I was hoping for a cave!'" I snickered, wondering how in Neopia Violet would react to that.

"Yeah," said Jacques uncomfortably. "Good job."

Juliet stared at him.

"What?" he said defensively.

"You never complimented me before."

"Oh…well." He had no answer for that.

We walked around for a few hours, with no idea where we were going. For some reason, I found myself hoping that we wouldn't run into the guards. It'd just be awkward, and hey, Violet would probably arrest me on the spot. Oh, and Razor probably doesn't want to get found out by Sophia. And I'm still kinda shocked how Brynneth took _my _explorer. I mean, is she crazy? How and why in Neopia would she do something ludicrous as that…

Whoa. That must be what she feels about me _all the time. _

Anyway, besides the worrying part, and the small hope that we might find my dad, that Mountain was pretty peaceful. We ruled out Happy Valley quickly in the terms of the hideout; in contrast to the secluded villages scattered around the Mountain, it was all squashed and, well, happy. Not where I'd picture the former Thieves' Guild hideout to be. The Ice Caves we left alone, as they weren't discovered until later. That left the rest of the place, and Kayley was right: It was so not just a Mountain. It was an entire, freezing cold country, all dismal and slightly wild.

I wondered how it'd be like to live there. I suppose I could ask, but both Razor and Kayley had moved away when they were little, so they probably didn't remember.

"Right," Garin said. "I think that's enough for one day. Time to hit the hay!"

The crew nodded and automatically began fixing up the tents. The twins, curious (well, it was actually Juliet who was tugging Julius along), began chatting with them, and soon they were helping out, making the entire thing about a hundred percent times faster. Kayley build a fire quickly, while Razor was swallowing a potion because of some cold he got.

We all crowded around the warmth. After a brief silence, Garin chipped in again. "No fire's complete without a story. Any volunteers?" Quiet. "Doesn't anyone have anything interesting to tell? Our crew used all of our tales up. Hey, how about Miss twin-girl over there?"

"Wha-" Juliet's eyes widened in alarm. "Oh, no. Um, no, nothing interesting to say."

He sighed. "Hanso?"

I shrugged. "I told all my stories." Except the ones regarding Brynn, but I left that part out and hoped that no one noticed my voice squeaked.

"Razor?"

"Uh-huh…no."

"Kayley?"

The Acara girl raised her eyebrow. "Are you really so desperate for a story that you would ask me?"

Garin sighed. "Well, we liked to be entertained….we used to love listening to stories that…uh, someone else once told us-" he and Jacques shared a meaningful look –"But I doubt she's up to telling us anything anymore, so yeah. Yeah, we're bored."

"Can't we jut go to bed without a story?" she complained.

"Nope," said a pirate. "Us guys need their bedtime story."

"Men," Morgana groaned. She'd been keeping a low key so far, but I suppose hoping that she'd stay silent for the whole thing was a little too much to ask for.

Kayley rolled her eyes. "Fine. I will now present you the shortest horror s tory in the world." She cleared her throat as all of us awaited eagerly to listen. "Once upon a time, the last person in Neopia was sitting at home. Someone knocked on the door. The end." With that, she made for her own tent before anyone could stop her. It took me a while to think why that would be so scary. But when I figured it out, I knew I'd be lying awake half the night.

"That was quick," Garin commented. "Nevertheless, it was a story."

"Wish Flynn was here," Jacques sighed. "Though he's annoying, he was pretty entertaining for a bird." He glared at his best mate. "Though it was irritating with him saying that 'I had no life.'"

Garin stared blankly at him. "Why're you blaming me for that?"

Jacques punched him on the arm. "Because you gave him for me for Christmas."

"What?" Garin frowned. "I never sent you any bird."

He was telling the truth.

And somehow, that was a lot scarier than any other story that Kayley could tell.

Week 4

"So Flynn…is evil?" Kayley asked with disbelief.

"For some reason, that doesn't really stick with me," Juliet said, frowning. "He's just a bird."

"A highly intelligent bird," I told them.

"But how could anyone have cracked Jacques's code?" said Razor sensibly.

"I did," I replied. "And I'm pretty sure that if I could do it, a certain Mistress of Double-cross might be able to do it as well."

Garin coughed.

"What?" I asked. "She's smart enough to-"

"Actually, Hanso, you're right," he said sheepishly. "It's likely for Masila to have guessed it. In fact, it's more than likely, as she's the one who taught it to us the first place-"

"_What_?"

"Hey, don't look at me like that," the captain said irritably. "She was a nice lady back then! And remember, we thought she was dead, so we didn't see what the harm to keep using her old code was. Besides," he added, "We never thought we'd be considered important enough for our messages to be intercepted."

"The question really is…why?" Juliet supplemented. "Flynn's been nothing but nice and helpful to us the whole year, plus he gave us a lot of information."

"Like my dad maybe being alive," I put in darkly. Kayley's eyes looked downwards. "Something the matter?" I asked.

"Not really, it's just…" She shook hear head. "It's nothing. Just…he never exactly said your dad's name, right?"

I didn't know what she was talking about, so I just shrugged. My mind was still wrapped around the thought that Flynn – a _pawkeet _– had betrayed us. I never thought for one second that he was evil; and he didn't seem the type. Okay, yeah, he was a little strange, but his predictions were more weird than sinister (a lot nicer than Morgana's, at least, who kept ranting on how she _knew _that Flynn was rotten fro the start). I actually managed to like him over the year. But if Flynn had told me that prediction for nothing…that this was all a trap…

This was all racing through my mind until I heard a scream in front of me.

Juliet.

She yelled as she slipped through the ice beneath her, trying to clutch in vain for her brother's desperate attempts to cling to her. But she fell, way below on the icy slope. Kayley, Razor, Julius, and I looked at each other—and at that moment, we all had a mutual agreement. Before anyone could stop us, we jumped in after her.

"No!" Jacques yelled, too late, as Morgana said disgustedly, "Oh, for the love of-"

Instead of a long drop al the way down, like I expected, the ice curved, pulling us into a kind of slide. We raced downwards. Kayley, probably the only one of us who wasn't screaming "AAAAGH!" in her head, grabbed our hands and ordered us sharply to hold on. We did as we were told, and it probably saved us; if we didn't, we would've probably been spinning off in different directions.

_Thump!_

We landed in a pile of huge snow. "Is everyone okay?" said Razor weakly, as we groggily tried to stand up and get our bearings. He answered his question for himself, surveying us quickly. "Yep, little dizzy, but we'll live. Where's Julie-"

He cut off when we saw her standing there in the mouth of a cave. She nodded when she saw us, her finger on her lips. Probably brushed off and went exploring as soon as she got to the bottom, I thought grumpily, but I was glad that she wasn't hurt. She gestured for us to come forward. "Someone's here," she mouthed.

My eyes widened as I ran to her enthusiastically. A little too enthusiastically, I guess, since the person called out, "Who's there?"

I stifled a gasp when I saw who it was.

And it wasn't my dad.

* * *

><p><strong>Uptown guide will be here next chapter. Any suggestions on what I should put in (anything you want to find out)?<strong>


	48. December at Age 11

**A lot of good-byes in this one…but a lot of hellos, too. :) **

The Month of Celebrating (December) Age 10

Week 1

"So _you're _Tyler's dad?" I said quietly.

When Juliet found him in the cave last week, he nearly skewered us in pieces. I mean, for a guy who was known to be mild-mannered, this Gelert can _move. _I don't know exactly what he did – Razor said something about pressing our acupuncture points, like my uncle did with my mom – but whatever happened, we were literally paralyzed. It was one of the scariest experiences I've ever had, not being able to move and have this Master Thief coming up at me with a very pointy dagger.

Luckily, Jacques, Morgana, and the pirates came just in time and managed to explain to him what we were doing here. I suppose it helped that Morgana was using a persuasive voice…but whatever. When I realized who he was, though I was happy for Tyler and his siblings, it was like a stone dropped at the pit of my stomach.

Even when we checked the place Tyler told us (Salsom, I think) and nobody was there, even when I knew Flynn wasn't trustworthy anymore, his prediction was the thing that kept me going, hoping that we'd find my Dad _somewhere._ Kayley's words haunted me.

_"There's someone else in that Mountain. Alive. You remember a certain mission which got destroyed soon afterwards, don't you?" _

_"It's nothing. Just…he never exactly said your dad's name, right?" _

Now I realized what she was getting at. Yes, someone did survive the mission. But it wasn't my dad.

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "You know Tyler?"

"Uh, sort of. We run into each other a few times."

"Have you run into him before I went on this expedition…?"

I frowned, thinking about it. "I saw him a few times, I guess, but I never really talked to him or noticed him that much."

"Ah." He let out a breath. "Sometimes the universe wants us to find someone in exactly the right time, no earlier than necessary, but never afterwards to be forgotten."

"What?"

"Nothing." He gave me a smile.

"You've been hiding here for months?" I asked, changing the subject. "Could you tell me…what exactly happened?"

"I know who you are," he murmured, staring at me. "You're Peter's boy, aren't you? Hanso Laron. Well…I suppose you deserve to know. We were attacked."

"Really?" said Morgana sarcastically. "That never occurred to us!"

"Surrounded on all sides," he continued grimly. "Slaughtered and killed. They gave me a bloody gash on my back." He winced. "The only thing lucky about it was that it looked a lot worse than it actually was—the blood had seeped in my coat, making it look like someone had cut me open. I spread my Chi around long enough to leave awhile-"

"Wait a minute," Razor said skeptically. "Leave?"

"Leave my body," he said matter-of-factly, as if we were discussing the weather. "Only the most experienced with Chi can do that and come back to their body unharmed…even though I wasn't technically 'unharmed.'" He took a deep breath. "Well, they beat us lot, but I didn't really feel it. I can't confirm who died and who lived—it was so blurry, and whoever they killed was stacked together and burnt. Others _did _survive, but they did so by swearing to betray the Thieves' Guild."

I sighed. No. Even if it was a matter of escape, Dad would never do that.

"I managed to crawl away, unnoticed. No one in the stack was alive," he added. "I did a Chi search just before, and they were all gone." He gave a bitter laugh. "Lucky devils."

"Who was responsible for the attacks?" Morgana questioned.

He glanced at us and stared at his boots. "I can confirm this much: It wasn't Masila." That's one thing she'd been telling the truth, then.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"I eavesdropped on her conversation with Vlade when she got back," he said sadly. "I've never heard her so angry—something about killing kids' parents not being part of the plan…" He shrugged. "I assume she meant Peter and I, as none of the rest of our team had children."

"Why didn't you try to contact the Guild?" Jacques asked.

He looked at us, surprised. "Don't you know where we…oh. Yes. You went through the ceiling."

"What?" Jacques pressed.

"You see, the only exit here is through the former hideout of the Thieves' Guild," he said. "And if we want to get passed that, we're going to have to go through Masila."

"So you haven't gone out in months?" Razor said with horror.

"But how did you eat? Or…er, do your business?" Julius asked.

Tyler's dad shuddered. "You do not want to know."

"Did you hear of any guard girls 'round here?" Kayley interrogated. It was the first time she had spoken.

He blinked, staring at her hard, and then shook his head. "Do I-no, never mind. Uh, no. No guard girls, per se, but Sam…." He gave us a small grin, a little reminiscent of Tyler's goofy, lopsided one. "I'm guessing that a plan you guys had at Brightvale had gone horribly, horribly wrong."

"Not our fault," Jacques muttered, glaring at Morgana. She pretended not to notice.

"As for any other 'guard,' well, there's Masila's friend that comes and goes, but I don't think he's really her ally. In fact, what I've managed to dig up so far is that he's trying to talk her out of it, but you know, no one ever 'out-talks' the Mistress of Double-Cross." Under his breath, muttered, "Though that guy sure came pretty close."

I frowned, deciding to worry about 'that guy' later. "Okay. How about Marie?"

"She arrived a few days ago," he informed us.

Kayley and I glanced at each other. "Has she…given her sister anything?"

"That's funny," he noted. "They were arguing about it just a few hours ago. Masila said that she'd let Sam go if Marie would give her some necklace." He frowned. "Not a bad deal, if you ask me. I'd give anything for my kids. That lady must be really, really attached to her jewelry if she won't sacrifice it for her son."

We couldn't help but laugh, especially when his face became confused. It was hilarious, in a way. "Um, sorry, sir," I wheezed, "But if she hands over the necklace, it'll be the end of the world as we know it."

"….Oh," he said, more confused than ever.

"Masila's given her a time-limit," Razor remembered. "If she doesn't hand over the necklace by the New Year…" He didn't finish.

"Do you think she'd actually do that?" Julius said skeptically.

"Maybe not," I admitted. "But Marie wouldn't risk it, I know that much." Deep down, I thought that something else was going on, something deeper than what was happening. As if Masila had a different agenda all together, and this was just a setup. But then, wouldn't that make the duel a setup for the setup? Gah, totally confusing.

"What about Kanrik?" Juliet said. "Can't forget about our Guild Leader."

"No sign of him, either," he told us.

"But he'll be coming soon," Kayley guessed. "He went before us—he's probably biding his time, so we'll have to figure out some way to warn him."

"Let's get this straight," Julius said. "We have to save Sam, warn Kanrik, stop Marie, and possibly find the guard girls?"

"Cross the last one off the list and I'm fine with it," Kayley told him.

"And how are we supposed to do that?" I asked.

She arched an eyebrow. "We make a plan, of course."

* * *

><p>The plan went all wrong immediately.<p>

Jacques and Garin paused mid-step. The rest of us looked at them quizzically. "My Hannah senses are tingling," Garin told us. Jacques nodded in agreement. "Do you think she's here?"

"For the last time! HE IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND!"

"She's here," they said together.

Juliet crept a littler nearer to watch, dodging her brother's attempt to pull her back. He glowered at her, but she didn't notice. Her big brown eyes widened. "It's the guard girls," she murmured. "Masila is saying that it'd be evil she locked them in different cells..." Wait, what? I thought. That doesn't sound like her. That sounds like a villain from a soap opera or something. "Whatever's happening, Sam and her are arguing…" She gasped. "We have to save them!"

Kayley face-palmed. "You're right," she said grudgingly. I stared at her in shock. "We can't leave them here, now that they've stupidly thrown themselves in Masila's clutches."

"Kanrik's there too," Juliet said, a bit of a mischievous tone in her voice. "He pretended to be an Assassin, but somehow Masila knew it was him and pulled his hood down."

Razor snickered. "You just called the Leader of the Thieves' Guild stupid."

She slowly turned to _look _at him. He whimpered, cowering behind me. "I've no doubt he did that to save Hannah and the guards," she seethed. "I don't think he would've actually put himself in front of Masila like that if he was alone."

I went nearer to Juliet. She whispered to me, "Apparently, Sam convinced Masila to let him say good-bye to the guard girls. Look."

Sam, Violet, and Brynn were talking softly together. I guessed that they were telling him why they had come, and he filled them in on the fight. I really hope he didn't mention my part in the whole mess. Masila called him, tapping her foot impatiently, signaling that his time was up. I think he said a few hurried farewells—and then Brynn grabbed his arm and gave him her sword.

I raised my eyebrows. What's _that _going to do? I guess she thought that Sam had nearly won, but by some trick of fate didn't. Um, no. Masila could have slaughtered him the moment they began the duel. Yet for some reason, she didn't. I still couldn't get my mind wrapped around that fact. Anyway, even with the element of surprise, I seriously doubted that Sam could do any lasting damage with yet another sword. Masila proved quickly that it was no match for her.

"But what about another weapon?" I murmured to myself.

"What?" Kayley said, frowning. Our original plan of distracting the Assassins and getting Sam out while sending a kind of signal flare for Kanrik had pretty much backfired, and I knew she was trying to think of a way to get us all out of here safely. I told her my idea. She blinked. "That could work," she conceded. "Give me your dagger."

"What? Why can't you use your own?"

"Because, idiot, most people would have a very hard time…controlling it," she told me.

"Huh?"

"Oh, just hand it over!" she snapped. When she uses that tone of voice, it's just best to obey. I gave her my dagger. Glancing upwards, I saw that someone had already taken the guard girls and Kanrik away. Kayley put the dagger on the floor and, before Sam could turn back to his aunt, threw a well-aimed kicked at it. It slid right to Sam's feet.

His jaw dropped when he saw it, and he caught a glimpse of us. He gave us a small smile and salute, and then turned around. Suddenly, Kayley hissed, "What the heck is she _doing_?" I turned to see Morgana walking towards Marie and Masila.

"Dears!" she said.

They stared at her. "Auntie?" Masila gaped.

"W-what are y-you doing here?" Marie stammered.

"Helping," she said sweetly.

"Aunt Morgana," Masila seethed, "I think you've helped enough. Now can you please…go away?"

"You'll never be rid of me, my dear," she told her. "At least never completely. Now. As for this whole scheme of yours, it's working rather nicely, though Marie hasn't given her necklace yet...pathetic little girl, I always said so." Masila's eyes narrowed, although I doubt anyone else saw it.

At least she wasn't revealing our location. I'm not sure if this was to distract her and keep Sam from doing something stupid or because she actually wanted to help.

Sam looked outraged. "Ya know what? You're even worse than Aunt Masila when in comes to insults against family. I mean, at least we know what her game is. What side are you really on?"

"The winning one," she said dryly.

"You never know which that could be," Masila told her. Was it my imagination, or did her eyes dart to my location just before they transferred back to Morgana's?"

"Please," Morgana stated. "You're almost there. The only thing you have to do is-"

"Sammy," Masila interrupted, "Would you care to resume our duel?"

There was absolute silence.

Marie and Morgana looked gob-smacked. Sam, however, didn't seem surprised. He had a slight grin on his face. "With pleasure."

"Don't be a fool," Morgana snapped, grabbing Masila's wrist.

"What?" Masila had a mocking, hurt tone in her voice. "Do you actually think he has a chance of winning?"

"I'm thinking that he wouldn't agree without a trick up his sleeve."

"Auntie, you underestimate Marie."

"I am?"

"She is?" Marie said, staring at her.

"Yes," Masila snapped, glaring at her sister. "You'd never hand over that necklace, even for your own son."

"What? Oh, right," Marie said, turning red.

"Then what was this whole thing even _for_?" Morgana snarled.

"Apparently, dearest aunt, you've misjudged my plan," said Masila. "I needed Sam and Marie to be here together…to make, what you say, a counter-offer."

"A counter-offer," Morgana repeated.

"We duel again," Masila explained. "Legal, actually, since the last one didn't finish with either of us dying. But now…on my terms." She smirked at her aunt's baffled expression. "No deaths; I don't want my nephew to be killed, no matter what. I win, Marie gives me the necklace. As you have probably guessed," she said dryly, "I have no real use for the Thieves' Guild, besides getting Kanrik out of it. But, on the slight chance that Sammy wins…" She nodded at him to state his conditions.

"You leave the all of the Thieves' Guild alone. Forever," Sam said emphatically.

"But that's not fair, sweetheart," Masila complained. "What if someone tries to attack me?"

"Then you're allowed to defend yourself," he replied. "But if you do the same to someone without provocation, you…"

"I lose all your respect," she finished. "Which is very, very important me," she added, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

But it was.

No matter how she said it, it was the truth. His confidence in her was important, and everyone knew it.

"You do know I can find about a million ways to loophole this, right?" she asked him.

"I'm trusting you not to," he said quietly.

She shrugged. "Fair enough."

"Fair enough?" said Morgana, outraged. "Why, I have never seen such a poorly-"

"Perhaps you should have thought of that first, Aunt Morgana, before you jumped out of your hiding place," Masila snapped. "I have no idea why you're here, nor even how you got in, but you can't make my decision. Ready, Sam?"

The moment her nephew nodded, she pounced, making a show of easily blocking his (Brynn's) sword – she didn't even question how he got it – and swiping past it. But like before, she wasn't as aggressive as she could have been; something was holding her back. It couldn't be that she was scared for her nephew's safety; all she had to do was disarm him, and the whole prize could be hers. Or maybe she was unsatisfied with the deal, and decided to kill him anyway to get what she wanted? Unlikely, but possible.

Or something else might have happened entirely.

Masila had at least one week with Sam before Marie or anyone else came.

Who knows what she had said to him?

But if they somehow cooked up a plan together, neither showed it in their faces. Sam slashed forward more offensively. Masila might have been able to slit his throat then and there, but I had a feeling that he was a good enough fighter to at least hold his own for a few minutes. Marie and Morgana had retreated to the back of the room, the former having a curious frown on her face and the latter a furious one.

And the fight started all over again.

Dodge.

Slash.

Duck.

Swipe.

Block.

Dive.

Flip.

Turn.

Throw.

I blinked. Sam threw his sword at her. Now, what was that going to accomplish? He was absolutely weaponless. Until I remembered….he still had my dagger.

Masila looked at him, disappointment etched on her face. "That was a silly move."

"Not as silly as you think," he remarked coldly. With that, he took out my own dagger and slashed at her with it.

Taken by surprise, Masila stumbled backwards a few steps, but quickly stumbled backwards. A small smile played across her lips. "Resorting to that, aren't we?"

"You were a good teacher," he conceded.

She blinked. "A few years of my training were equal to almost eight years' worth of the guards? What are they teaching you?" she said indignantly.

"Doesn't really matter now," he said, swiping at her. And here's what shocked me: He was better with the dagger than the sword.

He was better with a thief's weapon than a guard's. I wondered what his father would have said about that.

But good enough? I'm not sure. His attacks were fiercer with it, but I wasn't certain it would match Masila's skill; to my surprise, he seemed to be holding his own, and more. She was still managing to block him, but this wasn't playtime anymore. She was glaring at him, for the first time taking him seriously as a foe, not someone she was just holding off until he got tired.

"Oh, enough of that, Samuel," she snapped when he manage to rip the cloth of her sleeve. "Let's end this." Odd thing was, he looked confused for a moment. As if he was going to do something he really, really didn't want to do. Seeing that, Masila smirked and remarked something to him that no one else could hear. But I knew what she was saying. Why? 'Cause I heard those words before, and it didn't take that much lip-reading to know what they were.

_Go on, Sam, just like I showed you._

"Whoa," Juliet said behind me, which pretty much summed up what we were all feeling.

No way.

It couldn't have been _that _easy.

Right?

He had disarmed her, quickly and ferociously, doing a complicated move with his dagger ("Man, I have got to learn that," Julius marvelled), forcing her to drop her own weapon for fear of her hand becoming completely sliced off. Then, before she could get her bearings, put a knife to her throat. Those were the fastest, most brilliant moves I've ever seen anyone do.

But was it enough to beat Masila? Maybe she wasn't as invincible as I thought.

To my shock, I felt a little disappointed. It wasn't like I respected her or anything, but I always thought that she'd be…well, tougher. She seemed almost impossible to capture permanently, and to make a deal in these circumstances was really foolish. She almost got what she wanted.

But in the end, she had _lost._

That's how it's supposed to be, and in any case, I should've been happy. At least no one died…not anyone important to the Guild at least…

"Keep your promise, Auntie," he told her firmly.

She sighed. "Oh, fine. You have my word that I will never touch a member of the Thieves' Guild…unless someone attacks me first, of course."

He released her, and she breathed out. Morgana was staring at her, angry. "Well, of all the stupid-"

"It's done, Auntie," said Masila in a low voice. "No use rubbing salt in old wounds. Or new ones, for this matter."

"I wonder if I was mistaken which one was the stupid niece," she seethed. Masila flinched, but didn't say anything. Without a word, she left the cavern and left. I almost felt sorry for her.

"You know," Sam said casually to Morgana, "I still don't know what side you're on. On one hand, you seem very disappointed that Auntie didn't beat me. On the other, you didn't reveal your group's hiding place." Loudly, he called out, "You can come out now, guys!"

Kayley was the first one to do so. "How did you know we were there?"

"It's a trick my aunt uses," he told us. "You have to check your five senses, with sight the shadows, with your hearing any unusual sounds plus the course of the wind…"

"Giving away trade secrets?" Morgana asked disapprovingly.

"Whatever. You still didn't answer my question."

She smiled at him sweetly. "Ambiguous. As always."

* * *

><p>We decided to camp there for the night, and then leave next week. Sam decided to spend it with us, deciding to get the guard girls later. When I asked him why (I mean, Brynn would hardly be pleased being locked up in a cell like a common criminal), he said, "Well, I don't feel like it right now. Besides, they have to have some kind of punishment. They have to learn that they can't just keep following me every time I go to face danger."<p>

I'm pretty sure that Brynn will never learn this lesson, and told him so.

He just put his pillow over his head, blocking me out. Besides conversing a bit with me, he hasn't said much to anyone, even his mother. I was okay with that. I mean, who knew what this guy was feeling, beating his Auntie and all. Still, we couldn't _not _communicate with each other. The former hideout of the Thieves' Guild was downright spooky, and I kept having fears of finding the corpse of Galem Darkhand. Razor assured be that by now it would have probably disintegrated, either naturally by his skin and skull slowly becoming part of the environment (so we wouldn't even be able to tell whether we're actually sleeping on him!) or have been eaten by flobberworms.

That didn't exactly help.

Anyway, in the light of that, we decided to camp out in the main hall and had a kind of campfire, with all of us putting our sleeping bags around it. The moment Jacques called lights out, everyone dropped off, even the twins. Everyone except me. I kept looking up at the ghostly surroundings and wondering if there had been someone like me had done the same, had some crazy adventures like I did.

There was also my mom I was worried about. Charlie said he'd look after her, but technically, she was all alone in her battle on not getting the family fortune. I bit my lip, thinking that although she'll probably be glad to see me and not expect much, I'll always hate myself for failing her. I mean, I practically promised that Dad would be with her that Christmas—that we would _all _be together. I know she'd never in a billion years blame me, but I always would.

I sighed. There was another reason why I couldn't rest easy.

I still had no idea where Masila went when she had left. To a nearby lair? Completely off Terror Mountain? I wasn't sure. I also wasn't too confident in the promise that she made Sam. I'd feel sorry for anyone who had displeased her and then got kicked out of the Guild—that would mean no protection from her wrath. But to people who she particularly hated (like Kanrik or, I think, me), even a promise to her nephew wouldn't stop her if she got really mad.

Almost as soon as I was thinking that, I spotted a light from one of the caves. I stood. Something was up. Glancing at my friends, I considered waking one of them (the adults would never let me do it myself). Nah. Julius and Juliet had enough for today, I knew, and Razor would only be a hindrance in this case. And Kayley...no matter how cold she can be, she'd usually be my ideal choice. But she's sick. I can't risk her getting even more unwell.

Call me stupid, I went off on my own.

I tiptoed through the halls, quickly going from one part of the Guild to another, trying to find the source of the light. When I finally did, I wish I hadn't.

It was Masila. She wasn't waiting for me with a knife to slit my throat, though. Instead, she was holding something small and round. It actually looked a lot like a powder-makeup-thing that my mom sometimes used—but instead of make-up, it had a communication device installed in it. At least, that's what I figured. I didn't think that Masila was so crazy as to talk to herself.

My suspicions were confirmed when I heard a faint, though distinctive, voice. He – I was pretty sure it was a he – was asking her something. She chuckled. "Oh, yes, it all went _perfectly. _Okay, yeah, it was a little rough at the start when Sammy first came. I had to convince him that I wasn't trying to kill him; how he could think that is beyond me, if I wanted to kill him I would've done it then and there in front of the whole Guild…what? No, I am not bluffing!" She sounded slightly annoyed, but had an affectionate edge on her voice. "You didn't have to go all saintly on me last week, though. I always have a plan. Hey, that's no excuse!"

She smirked as he said something else. "Well, that's easy to answer. You see, a few months before this whole mess started and when I escaped, some person got it into his head that I'd find it pleasing to have Sammy all dead and gone; you know, because he's a guard. I suppose I can't really blame him—I've ranted on quite a bit on my dearest brother-in-law, and how annoyingly, stupidly 'heroic' he was." There was silence, and for a moment her eyes widened. "I didn't mean you! I thought we were over that, I didn't mean…"

There was a distinctive peal of laughter from the other end.

"Ugh. Why do you always manage to wind me up?" There was a cheeky reply on the other end; Masila rolled her eyes and smiled. "So, anyway, this person thinks I want Sam dead. Luckily, my nephew managed to defend himself, although worse for the wear for a few days. When I got the report on what happened, I was furious. Still, I couldn't say what happened to all the other Assassins. They might think that I meant for them to do it when I said don't. My orders are sometimes like that—never straightforward." She sighed. "Yes, that was a bit stupid at times, but I wanted them to think for themselves. I never imagined for it to backfire that spectacularly."

There were a few minutes when the guy on the other end said something and asked her a few questions here and there, before she continued. "Then came the attempt on killing me. I don't think Kanrik ordered it – at the very least, I would've thought he'd chosen someone smarter than that idiot who tried to poison me – but that put fear in a lot of people. Some did…bad things after it. Yes, I'm talking about the stupid massacre. A complete waste of life." She paused. "Yes, and that. I didn't mean for it to happen. When _he _said to break the stone last time, I didn't know I was signing that little girl's death warrant. I would never have done that. Yes, sweetheart, for once I seriously don't have an answer. I'm just hoping that someone in that crazy Guild would find an cure for her."

"Oh, don't say that to me. I _knew _this foolish feud had to end, I don't need you proclaiming 'I told you so' every time I say this. At that point, and even now, I don't think I can kill Kanrik. I haven't realized how well-protected he was, not least because of that incorrigible Ixi thief." Her jaw dropped. "No! He is not like…oh, shut up. But then I had Aunt Morgana on my back, and you remember how she is, plus I couldn't just surrender, they'd have never believed me, and that still wouldn't have stopped the attacks. So yes, I devised this whole scheme for that."

There were more words. She blinked, and then looked slightly insulted. "What are you talking about, darling? Of course I'm fully aware of him listening to me behind my back."

Say what?

"What? Yes, that's part of the plan, too. You see, I noticed him looking very disappointed earlier, and, well, I really don't want to fail my audience. I rather like to keep my reputation of the villainess who always somehow manages to get out of everything. I know he'd never say so, but I think that a tiny part of him respects that."

I opened my mouth to protest, but then shut up. She'd know I was lying right away.

"Mmm. Well, see you in a bit, my dear," she said, hanging up. She smirked at me, but didn't say anything, waiting for me to piece it together.

But my head still couldn't process what she had said. She was saying that it was all part of the plan, that we all did exactly what she expected. Was she just lying about it to save her pride? No, I would've sensed it, and she wasn't the type to do that anyway. This was impossible. I mean, Sam disarmed her. She had to leave the Guild alone forever. She'd _lost_….

Then I realized.

_It's not _that _you win, it's _what _you win that counts._

Masila had said that to me right after her meeting with Sam, before the duel. And what did she get out of all this? Her nephew's respect; I had a feeling that after this, they'd keep more in touch. She had officially won his trust. Same with Marie, probably. The members of the Thieves' Guild wouldn't try to murder her anymore; in turn, she wouldn't have to be too bothered to make up some scheme to kill Kanrik (the last part was probably her only loss). Oh, and her auntie would finally, _finally_ leave her alone.

What would she have gotten if she had killed Sam? Nothing. The Thieves' Guild would have never stood for her as a leader, and she'd never get to Kanrik through them.

She _had _won.

I stared at her in horror. Understanding that I had gotten it, she smiled at me and put a finger to her lips. Then she stepped back into the darkness, and vanished.

Week 2

I woke up early in the morning, even before the sun was up. Surprising, really, since I stayed up really late last night. Maybe I was overreacting. This was technically a win-win, situation, never mind that Masila had gained something as well. What else were we supposed to do? Let her kill Sam just to say she had lost? That'd be really stupid. Still, part of me was still shocked. Against all odds, she prevailed yet again.

I guess I did respect her, in a way.

Not that I'd ever say so out loud.

Sam had already left. We had a short discussion before he did. "And if anyone asks…" I began.

"You were never here," he finished, flashing me a cheeky smile and then running off to get the guard girls and Hannah. I hoped they were okay, though in my opinion, Violet needed to rough it up once in a while.

To my surprise, Kayley was up, too. Her sleeping bag was empty. Slightly worried, I went out looking for her. Walking outside the cave, I found her sitting by the edge of a cliff, her eyes almost wistful as she looked at the approaching dawn. The sky turned from a pale pink to a bright orange, and then a fiery gold. For a moment, she seemed almost peaceful. "What're you doing up so early?" she said to me without turning around.

"Found out that the Mistress of Double-cross has been playing us all along," I said casually. "Kinda hard to sleep after that."

She didn't even blink. "I knew we underestimated her. Ah, well. We both won something, and she'll not bother the Guild again. That's something I'm happy for." There was a brief silence. "So, are you happy?"

"What? Me? Of course? Why would you think I wouldn't be….?"

"You like adventure," she said calmly. "Challenges. Someone you can match wits with. In our first year, I suppose that was me; but then we had to go and rescue Kanrik, and that kinda taught us to work together. Then after that, we had to fight Masila. Now, she's officially beaten. Are you sorry for that?"

I was quiet for a while before I answered. "No," I said truthfully. "I guess I'm a little annoyed that she never actually lost to us, but I'm not that regretful for it. I have no shortage of problems I have to solve." I paused. "But that's what makes it all the more fun," I said thoughtfully. "Challenges and impossible problems. At least that's what my grandmother said."

"Your grandmother?"

"Granny Leslie. You know, from my dad's side." At the mention of my dad, I winced. "Though I suppose I don't like problems being _too _impossible."

"Like your dad's rescue mission?"

"Yeah. And you. I'm never gonna figure you out." She smirked at that. "But then, I might not even have time to."

"Don't worry about it, Hanso," she said tiredly. "It was my fault."

"Why did you bind your life to the stone?" I asked her angrily. "That was really, really foolish-"

"I didn't," she said.

"What?"

"Well, not really….it's, well…kinda _required _for me…oh, you wouldn't understand," she snapped. "It's a complicated mess, and trust me, none of this will help you figure something out. Let's make this clear: You don't have to do anything for me, okay? I'll do this by myself."

"Do what? Die?"

She didn't answer.

"You would never have given up if it was me," I muttered.

"Yeah, well, you're not me. I don't care, honestly."

"Don't care? What the-"

"Let's try this again once more. Shut up. Don't do anything. Don't feel guilty. You're making this a lot harder than it really is."

"And you're making it seem as if it's easy! You can't just die! What about your family? What will they say?"

"Nothing," she said in a cold voice. "Absolutely nothing." She was telling the truth. In a somewhat nicer tone, she said hesitantly, "It isn't just because of me, isn't it? It's your dad?"

I kicked a nearby rock. "There's no saving him anymore. He's gone—it was Tyler's dad who survived."

"Funny," she said dryly, "I don't think the pawkeet said anything about there being only one survivor."

"What are the chances of there being another? I'm not about to ask all of you guys to stay in this stupid Mountain a few more days to do some crazy search that'll probably end up in tears."

There was a long, long silence. She looked at me sadly; there was a note of regret and apprehension on her face, though at the time I didn't know what it meant. "You've really given up?" she said softly. "You've really lost hope?"

"Yes," I said firmly.

She looked at me right in the eye. "You really want him back?"

I stared at her. "What kind of question is that? Of course I want him back, although that'll never-"

"Shut up," she snapped. "That's not what I asked. You want him back."

"I…" I hesitated. "Yes."

She took a deep breath. "All right." Her gaze turned to the sun again, but this time, her eyes shone with that eerie, silver glow I saw a few months ago. She muttered something under her breath, but I didn't hear. A chill crept up my spine. And suddenly, I remembered what Tyler said_. __Oh, and I might also suggest not to let her use her powers. If she does, it'll speed up the dying process a lot faster, since she's actually using her life force…._

I had just shrugged off about Kayley having powers. I mean, it's impossible. She's no magician. But if this was anything, it was magic.

"No!" I cried when I realized what she was doing.

But it was too late. She sank to her knees, breathing deeply. She stumbled and clutched at the cavern wall. "At…least….wasn't….too far…this time. The other side….of Guild….nearer to Salsom…cavern…go. Nearly dead."

"What?" I shrieked in panic. "You're nearly dead? Hold on, I need more time-"

Her eyes flew open. "No, you idiot! Your dad's nearly dead. You have to go to him fast, now! Bring Razor!"

"But…but what about you?"

"Don't worry about me," she snarled. "I'll limp my own way back. Besides, even I have a longer time left to live if you don't get him." She snapped her fingers in front of my face. "Don't you understand? Your dad's alive, but he's dying! You can save him! You have the means to save him if….you…just..." – She emphasized each pause with a push – "Go….NOW!"

I ran.

Partly get to my dad…and partly to run away from scary Kayley.

* * *

><p>I could tell about how I went to our campsite and dragged Razor out of his sleep ("Oof…what's the big idea…Hanso?"). I could tell how I summarized what's happening, and how his expression turned grim as he grabbed his first aid kit, and turned even grimmer when we found my dad lying on the floor, slumped against the wall. I could tell how he awesomely did his thing, mixing up medicines and putting it to my dad's gaping mouth, how Dad woke up coughing, how shocked he was ("Hanso? Wha-What the heck are you doing here?").<p>

How, while on the way back, I explained to him what happened—except how Kayley found him, because that seemed private. How I told the story to everyone at the camp-site, how I said that it was really because of Kayley that I found him. How they cheered, and how Tyler's dad gave Kayley a curious, careful look, as if sensing something odd about her. I could tell about that.

But I won't.

Because that's not important.

What's important is that one of my friends, a good one, though she'll never admit it, was dying even faster than I expected. After the whole power-spell-casting thing, she was even weaker than usual, and for the whole while we went back to the ship she had to lean on one of us for support. Master Jacques noticed this. "Anything wrong, Kayley?"

"J-just tired." She shivered.

"Well, that's hardly surprising," he said, a smile on his face. "What with you finding Hanso's father, then going back and telling him." I think Master Jacques was under the impression that Kayley had sneaked out at night to track my dad down. At least he wasn't worried about her that much yet. "You're to go to sleep as soon as we get on the ship."

"Okay," she said feebly. She was leaning on Razor at this point, and I spotted him discreetly checking her pulse. His expression told me that it wasn't good. Tyler's dad didn't look too happy, either. I knew he was sensing something was terribly, terribly wrong with her, but he wasn't speaking up about it just yet.

"Screw this," Garin said loudly. "Little Kayley here might be need of a break, but I say this calls for a celebration. I say, we get to Brightvale before the week's through."

"B-but it's a gazillion miles away, Captain!" one of the crewmembers said.

"Nonsense. I've seen you guys get from Mystery Island to here to Meridell in the same amount of time. What I think you need is just a little bit of competition."

"Competition?" Jacques said warily.

Garin nodded, grinning. "I take the crew members in the Black Pawkeet. You take the kids, Peter, and, uh…Norbert, right?" He meant Tyler's dad. "Yeah. Take them on the other ship that Hannah forgot, and whoever gets to Brightvale first has to buy us Christmas dinner."

Jacques's eyes narrowed. "You're just trying to lure me back into the sea."

"Can't hurt to try, can it?"

"But this isn't fair!" Jacques said exasperatedly. "You have a crew full of experienced seafarers. I have a bunch of kids with one of them sick, and two half-dead men who never had to navigate a ship before. How am I supposed to compete with that?"

"Well, my friend," Garin said, patting Jacques on the back, "I hope you've been saving your neopoints."

Jacques spluttered in protest, but Garin and the crew already swung himself up. "Come on, slow-pokes!" he said cheerily. "Or else we'll get a head-start."

We climbed on to the other ship. Jacques immediately ordered Kayley, my dad and Norbert to bed rest, which they agreed with little complaint. Then he glanced despairingly at us. "You've never navigated a ship, have you?"

I raised a tentative hand. "Well, Garin let me control the Black Pawkeet for a bit on the last trip. But he grabbed it immediately when we nearly crashed into a pile of rocks."

"Thank you, Hanso, for that piece of useless information," he grumbled.

"Um, I do know how to navigate a little bit," Razor said carefully. "My uncle was a ship-owner, and he taught me a little-"

"Good. You'll get the wheel. Now, you guys," he said, gesturing to all of us. "You'll have remember what I say very carefully and apply it." He then went through a load of information that I seriously couldn't understand at all, he was saying it so fast. The twins, however, got it at once, and began doing all kinds of things to the ship that I had no idea of. Jacques stared at them. "Even I didn't expect them to get it that fast," he marveled. "They're naturals." He sighed at me. "Just do whatever Juliet tells you to do."

Juliet, it turned out, becomes very bossy when she has a chance. She told me to raise the anchor, secure the sails, swab the deck (snickering, because she remembered what Flynn said) and then actually telling me to cook the meals. "Uh, I'm not sure that's a good idea…"

"Just do it!" she barked.

After we all threw up after lunch, we decided that the twins would alternate in doing that from now on. Jacques was the captain of this ship, and instructed all of us carefully while doing a number of things himself. Dad and Norbert managed to come up for a few days, and helped out a bit. Kayley was still bed-ridden—but since we were all too excited for this game, nobody noticed.

The week wore on. After a bit, while the twins' talent assisted us a lot, the grown-up pirates were still in the lead. It really wasn't fair, but I suppose I wasn't helping much by tripping over stuff and giving the wrong instructions that I had to relay. Juliet said that she knew I was trying my very, very best but could I pretty please not get in the way and let more experienced sailors finish the contest for us?

She started sailing the same day as I did!

But she was sweet when she asked, so I backed off. Then we had a bit of good luck. Once, when we were particularly tired, and the twins were plainly exhausted, the ship still somehow managed to pick up speed. We looked at each other, confused. Then Jacques realized something and ran to the edge of the deck. Caylis was there, her hands glowing with warmth. She smiled at us. "Need some help?"

"Definitely," stated Jacques with relief. With our new advantage, we managed to motivate ourselves enough to keep moving.

And just like that, we were ahead of the Black Pawkeet.

"Hey, that isn't fair!" Garin cried when he saw us. "Caylis is a brilliant, powerful sea-witch! Isca is just…"

"Isca is what, Garin?" said the mer-girl herself dangerously. She was following us, too.

"Uh…pretty?" said Garin weakly. "Row faster, men! ROW!"

* * *

><p>It was the last night of the week. We were almost at the harbor for Brightvale. Then Garin comes up with a white flag. Apparently, he wanted a discussion. All of the inhabitants of the ship managed to go to the edge of the deck, even Kayley. We were in shouting distance, so that was okay; but we weren't going to slow down or anything, in case this might be a trick. Garin held his arms up in surrender. "I think we should disband the competition," he told us. "I mean, we're all tired, and we could all use rest…"<p>

"You're just saying that 'cause we're going to win," Jacques said.

Garin gave a pleading expression at us. "Do you know what will happen to our reputation if word gets out that a bunch of kids beat us?"

"I'm guessing," said Juliet slyly, "That you're going to say that you disbanded the competition early because you felt sorry for us. Am I right?" Garin looked at her sheepishly.

"I don't know," Jacques said. "What do you say, team? Should we show them mercy?"

He was really referring to Julius and Juliet. They looked at each other. "They have to say it was a tie," Julius said finally.

"Deal!" Garin replied, clearly relieved.

"Least we'll get some rest," Razor said gratefully. "I think we can slow down a few days before we get there. It's pretty much guaranteed that we'll get there before Christmas, Hanso," he told me. I nodded in acknowledgement. "Finally, I could use a nap-"

"Jacques," Caylis called from below.

Jacques and Garin looked down. "Yeah?" he asked. Whatever's happened these past few days, it became clear that both Caylis and him had forgiven and forgotten.

"Um, I just had a dream," Caylis began.

"We both had a dream," Isca continued.

In unison, they said, "The teaching period is over."

Jacques stared, confused. "Huh?"

"Whatever you have to teach, you've taught it," Caylis explained. "Now your students have to stand on their own two feet."

"But that means…" He trailed off.

"You can finally come home again!" Garin said delightedly.

"But…my students…" He looked at us.

"It's okay, Master Jacques," Juliet piped up. "We know you're happier in the sea."

"In fact, this is the happiest we've seen you," Julius commented.

"Go for it," I said, and Razor nodded.

He turned to Kayley. She managed a small, weak smile. "We'll be okay," she promised. "You've taught us well, and I do think it's time we should learn by ourselves. Do it."

His face was conflicted. He knew that what he decided would change our lives as well as his. He took a deep breath. "Okay." There were loud cheers in the other ship, especially from Garin. "I need to talk to you privately," he told to us, before calling over, "It's time for bed. 'Night, crew!" There was a chorus of goodnights from the other boat, but Jacques ushered us below deck quickly. Soon, we were all in Jacques's quarters.

He looked at us each in turn. "Kayley already knows this," he started. "And Hanso probably does, too, as he's been eavesdropping. But there's a reason why I left the sea in the first place. And it's you guys."

"Us?" Razor said blankly.

"Yes. One of you is destined to save the world."

There was a stunned silence. Then Julius said, "You're kidding, right?"

"No," said Jacques gravely. "And I suppose it seems I can't advise you any longer. So I'm giving you gifts that might help. Kayley," he began, taking out something from his pocket. "Another spyglass. It does what the old one did, but please don't give it to Lilia again."

"I won't," Kayley pledged, smirking slightly.

"Razor," he said. He gave him an empty glass vial. "Put any potion in it, and it will always be full that particular one. You can reset it by dunking it in salt water."

"Thanks," Razor marveled, staring at it.

"Hanso." His eyes locked with mine. "My compass. It won't show you exactly what you want; in fact, it's quite unpredictable, and it won't always work."

"Gee, thanks," I said cheekily.

"Nevertheless, it will show you where you need to be."

"So if I'm late to class…"

He rolled his eyes, and then turned to the twins. They looked nervous. "Look, guys," he said. "I know I haven't been the nicest teacher to both of you. In fact, I've frequently underestimated you. I wish I didn't. There was a lot more I could've taught in these past years. But…I'll try to make up for it now. Juliet, I don't exactly know if he's mine to give, but Flynn is yours." Juliet's brown eyes became huge. "You're the best one with him anyway. And as you're the common sense of this group, he will be yours. I don't know why, but I do think " She nodded.

"Julius." The older Wocky twin looked at him curiously. Jacques brought out his own sheathed dagger.

Julius tilted his head. "I always knew there was something special about it, though I'm not sure what it was."

"It turns the battle in your favor," he explained. "That's why I often called it my 'Lucky Dagger.' It's the only reason I managed to defeat Masila about a year ago–and by the way, Julius, it's not allowed in real duels so make sure you keep your old one. You see-"

"Cool!" Juliet chirped, grabbing it and began attacking Julius. He deflected her blade easily. "Hey! It doesn't work."

"Enthusiastic, I see," he said dryly. "That's something that's never changed. Anyway, my dear, it takes ten seconds to change its owner. So it should work for you…now." She swiped at Julius, and to everyone except Jacques's amazement, the blade went right off the elder twin's hands.

"Give that to me!" Julius snapped, grabbing the dagger. "You have your own present."

"But we'll share, right?" Juliet insisted.

Jacques sighed, but a small smile appeared in his face. "I hope these will help you in whatever's to come—and I'll stop by myself, while I can. But I want you to promise that you'll never completely rely on those items. You survive by your own merits; those are just tools. And besides," he added, "There are things more powerful than magic."

"Like what?" said Juliet skeptically.

"Love," Jacques answered. "Friendship. Selflessness. More can be accomplished with those things than anything else; remember that, all right?"

We nodded.

Then Kayley groaned.

"Kayley?" Jacques said with concern. "Are you all right?"

"Just…a slight headache," she said. Liar. Her eyes were dim, as if she couldn't see us. She sank to her knees, and I knew with certainty that the effects of rescuing my dad were finally catching up with her. I raced to her side, and caught her just as she leaned backwards.

"Kayley?" I said fearfully.

She collapsed.

Week 3

Thank Fyora we had rescued Tyler's dad.

He walked inside the chamber, wanting to ask Master Jacques something, just as Kayley fell over. His eyes widened, and he ran to our side. He muttered something under his breath, holding her wrists. His glare told us we had to keep out of his way, but I couldn't drag myself away. She had stopped breathing; she was very still. I had told Kayley I wanted my dad back, and she got him for me—but at a very, very high price. How was I suppose to know that I was choosing between my dad and my friend?

Then she groaned loudly, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Tyler's dad, however, was frowning. "How did this happen?" he asked me. The others were listening in, but for once, I didn't care. This wasn't a time to keep secrets.

"She tied her life force in an object," I replied. His eyebrows flew up; Jacques's jaw dropped. "I know, it sounds impossible, but she did. I left that object in the care of someone powerful, hoping to give her enough time. Your daughter told me to."

He smiled. "Ah. Bridgette. Yes, that was a wise decision, but I do not think it will help her now." He looked at Kayley's face, damp with sweat. "Her Chi – her life-force – has almost run out. I only managed to stop it from flowing outwards; a dangerous gamble, but the only way to buy her more time."

"What? What did you do?" I asked, scared.

"Her Chi can't flow out of her anymore," he said matter-of-factly. "It will build up inside of her until it overflows, and then it will go out at once—though I'm not sure when will that be. If you cannot find a cure for her that point, then you will have a chance at least to say good-bye."

"What?" Jacques broke in, horrified. "You mean she's dying? Hanso, how could you have kept this a secret?"

"She asked me to…" I trailed off. No, she never told me to keep this a secret. But because she said that to me every other time, I assumed that this was the case again. Gosh, I felt stupid; but I was still sure that even if I did say what happened, the adults couldn't have helped.

"Foolish girl," Jacques said, his worried expression betraying his true feelings. "I don't think even Caylis can help her."

"What should we do?" Juliet asked.

Norbert's face was serious. "I am sorry, my children. But nothing short of a miracle, or a most powerful magic, can save her now."

I bit my lip, looking around at my class. We all had the same thoughts in our heads. _Master Jacques said that there were things more powerful than magic, _I thought. _Would they be enough to save Kayley?_

* * *

><p>It became even more of a problem once we actually landed in Brightvale. It took us a little longer than we thought, as there were a few unexpected storms, so we arrived on Christmas Eve at night. None of us had any idea where Kayley's house was—well, Juliet did, but she was playing dumb and I wasn't in the mood for saying that she was lying. Besides, I didn't want to be separated from Kayley. If she really was only going to wake up once more, I wanted to be there.<p>

"Um, I have an idea," Juliet said timidly. "Why don't you take her with you?"

I frowned at her. "What?"

"Well, it's pretty obvious that your mom's gonna be forced to spend Christmas in that rich kid house," she told me, "If only for Charlie." At that, Dad winced.

"Never really met the in-laws," he said sheepishly. "Just Mrs. Daley. What're they like?"

"Um," I said.

"Never mind," he said, seeing my discomfort.

"You'll have more than enough room to house her. And besides, I don't think she really wants to go back to her family." She looked a little sad when she said that.

I did think it was a good idea; bringing Kayley, I mean. I looked at my dad pleadingly, and he smiled. "Well, of course she can come, if your other grandmother will allow it. If not, then she can sleep in our guest room." He looked at her, almost affectionately. "'Sides, I owe her one. Not everyday a little girl would save my life."

We couldn't go right away, though. As soon as we reached the dock, Master Kanrik was waiting for us. He exploded the moment we went on shore. "What were you thinking? Heading off to sea with some pirates! A group of kids! I could understand if it was a group of Master Thieves, but Jacques, what possessed you to…"

"They needed to be there," he said firmly. "And besides, they didn't do to bad of a job. They were the whole reason Sam succeeded in the first place, I'll have you know." He looked at us regretfully. "Too bad I won't be able to help them anymore."

"What?" Kanrik said blankly. "Why-?"

"I'm going back to sea," he said simply. "Please give them a good teacher—or at least, a better one than me. They deserve it."

"But-"

"Besides," he cut off. "Not only did they save the Guild once again – they'll be needing a reward for that, by the way – they also found the survivors of the old rescue mission."

My dad and Norbert stepped into view.

There was a gasp behind Master Kanrik. "Daddy?" Bridgette's eyes were huge. She squealed when she saw him, dropping her precious clipboard and running into his arms at once. She began sobbing, though she tried to control herself.

"It's okay, my girl," he murmured, hugging her. "I'm home now."

She pulled herself away. "I-I have to help-"

"It's all right, Miss Shuriken," Kanrik said tiredly. "The Christmas Feast is canceled anyway. Go spend the night with your family."

"Really?" she said breathlessly, looking grateful. "Thank you, sir."

I had a feeling there was going to be a lot of reunions like that at their house.

"As for all of you," he said, looking at us. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to elevate you all to a rank again. Thank you." We all smiled, realizing we were just promoted to Bandits. With that, he disappeared into the snow.

"Doesn't waste that much time, does he?" Dad said. He was carrying Kayley. Lying like that, she really did look just like a little girl. I felt a pang of guilt. "We better go home now, too."

Jacques looked wistfully at us. "Home. Yes." He glanced back at the Black Pawkeet. "It feels wrong leaving without saying good-bye," he said, referring to Kayley. "Especially since she's done so much. She's not going to have a mentor next year."

At that, Norbert turned around with an arched eyebrow. "Perhaps I can apply."

"Really?" Dad asked. "I never thought you were a teaching type.

He shrugged. "There is much I can teach her. She is powerful, that much is clear, and intelligent. She also saved my life." Bridgette gaped at him, and then suddenly looked guilty. "I will instruct her. If she is still around next year." He sighed. "Come, daughter. We most go back. Has Jordan been causing more trouble lately?" Both of them walked off, talking to each other.

"Yeah, we all better get going," Julius said, grabbing his sister's arm. Morgana, fully agreeing with his sentiment, simply walked off without thanking us or anything. I don't think she was pleased on how the trip ended. "Tell me if there's any news about Kayley, okay?"

"Me too," Juliet said.

"Me three," Razor said. And they were gone, too.

Jacques bit his lip. "I suppose it's time to go, then. At least if I want to head off before the ice starts to set in." His gaze traveled to Kayley one last time, and he stroked her hair. I think he was more of a dad to her than anyone else I've known, including her own family. "Farewell, my student. Fair winds until we meet again."

* * *

><p>"So," Dad said, as we trudged to Uptown. "Your really did use your snooping skills."<p>

"Not really. I mean, it had more to do with the outburst from Mom," I confessed.

"She's okay, right?" he said worriedly. "Hasn't been overworking herself?"

"We-ell…."

He sighed, but gave me a smile. "Well, that's just Lizzie. Elizabeth. Whatever." He shrugged half-heatedly, which was hard to do as he was still carrying Kayley. She murmured in her sleep. I think she was having a nightmare. "So, you really like this girl, huh?"

"Um, yeah," I said, wondering what he was getting at.

"She risked her life to save your old dad's. That's quite a loyalty. She must really, really like you."

I realized what he was saying, and looked at him with a horrified expression. "No, Dad! Not like _that_!"

He burst out laughing. "You sure?"

"Yes!" I said emphatically. "She's awesome and all, but she's like a sister. A big sister," I added thoughtfully. "Even though she's younger than me. I'm pretty sure she feels the same way." Juliet was another matter, but I so wasn't going to say that out loud.

"Suspicious, you said. Smart. Good with the dagger." He frowned. "She reminds me of somebody that I used to know."

"Janice?" I said before I could stop myself.

"Now how did you know about her?" he asked, smirking. "Ah-ha! So you have been using your snooping skills. I should've known."

"I haven't seen the whole story yet," I said, turning red. "Just a half."

"Hm? Well, keep snooping, son, because it's a rather interesting one; and amazing too, on how an Uptown girl like Liz can fall for a common, petty thief." He grinned at me. "Though I can assure you it did not happen right away. She thought me rather big-headed, as I recall. Oh, here we are." We stood outside, looking nervous. "Well, go on, Hanso. Press the doorbell."

"Me? You're the adult!"

"It's not like it's dangerous. Besides, you're the son. You're supposed to do as I say."

"Yeah, and where is that written?"

He stuck his tongue out at me, and we both laughed. I gave in first, ringing the doorbell. A new butler got it—and he wasn't impressed. I don't think he really believed that we were family members. In fact, he was about to slam the door on our faces when a hopeful voice said, "Hanso?"

I grinned. I had forgotten than Hazel was coming home for Christmas. "Haze! Mind telling the butler to let us in?"

"What? Of course! Let them inside, please," she said in a sweet voice. The butler didn't look happy, but he stepped aside. She ran and hugged me. "Good news!" she said excitedly. "Dad was mad that Violet didn't show up – well, that's not exactly good news, but still – so he ordered Mother to make a calming draught. But Ebony really wanted to go the Christmas party because…" For a moment, her face darkened "…Because Emerald is here, so he 'accidentally' put in a bit more sleeping powder than necessary. Mother 'apparently' didn't notice, so Father dropped off the moment he drank it. Then we all decided to come, so here we are."

"That's great," I said emphatically. "Hey, um, you know any rooms where we could put Kayley?"

Hazel titled to her head. "Um, okay. Sure. Jarvis," she said to the butler, "Would you please put her in one of the guest rooms?"

"My pleasure, my lady," he said distastefully when he got Kayley.

"One of the nice ones," she added. "Not the one infested with spyders and such."

"Yes, my lady," he said in an irritated voice.

"Come on," she said enthusiastically, grabbing my and my dad's hand. "You've got to see-"

"Hanso?" Emerald said, spotting us. "Oh, you've found your father." She smiled politely at him. "Your wife's near the fireplace in the ballroom. May I talk to Hanso for a minute before you go?"

"Uh, sure," he said.

"Lady Hazel," Emerald said crisply, addressing the younger girl.

"Duchess Emerald," Hazel replied just as curtly.

"Hanso," Emerald said, taking my aside. "I must tell you something."

"Can't it wait? I have to see my mom-"

"Mrs. Daley and her husband are dead."

"_What_?" I said, gob-smacked.

"Oh, not in spirit," she said. "They can never rest in peace until the Tradition is fully abolished."

"But what about the stones?"

"Stones?"

"The ones that I gave her to take care of!" I said exasperatedly. "They're really important!"

"Oh. Those." She took them out of her pocket. "She gave them to me before she left. Is that what it looks like to normal people?" she questioned curiously. "Ah. Never mind."'

"To normal people? What are they?"

"I don't think she'd like it if I told you."

"But…" That's when I noticed. The stones weren't broken anymore. They were whole, intact, and gleaming. "What the heck-?"

"You needed to sacrifice yourself to make the stone whole again," she said grimly. "And that's exactly what she did. And here's her message: _I hope you know what you're doing, my dear. This girl is obviously going to play a role in your destiny, so I've saved her this time. Take care of Charlie, will you?_"

"But…but why did she give the stones to you?" I blurted out. What I was really wondering was: If the stones were whole again, why isn't Kayley any better?

She smiled slightly. "Well, I happen to be very charismatic. I can hide my feelings—for example, I can be friends with someone I absolutely loathe."

I frowned at her. "Wait a moment. Are you talking about Ebony?"

She shrugged. "He is a useful friend, even though he's just a lord—cold, manipulating, able to see each situation clearly and without bias unless it's for his own gain. I have a feeling that he'll one day rise up very high; if I ever need assistance, I could use his help."

"So you really don't like him at all?"

"I did not say that," she said coldly, warning me by her tone of voice that she would not appreciate me repeating what she said. She smirked at my confused expression. "I can be a very useful ally, Hanso. I think Mrs. Daley gave me the stones as a signal that you should trust me."

"I'll think about it," I said. I would. She really did seem to be a good ally…but I'm going to look over anyone who Hazel has a low opinion of.

"Hanso," Dad called, tapping his foot. I could see why he was impatient. He'd waiting more than eight months to see my mom, and there she was, on the other side of the door. Despite all that, he looked nervous. I could relate. I wasn't sure if I could fit in to all the rich people stuff, either. I wish they had a manual or something.

And we entered.

We spotted Mom at once. She near the window. Grace was chatting to her a bit, but she had a distant expression on her face. That changed, however, when she saw us. At first, her eyes were blank. Then her jaw dropped, as she registered what she was seeing.

She wasn't the only one that I saw, though.

Near her was a group of people that were definitely not rich. A tall, strong Shoyru was near the front as well as a slightly chubby Kiko lady. There was a Wocky, and a Uni. They weren't only ones there, just the people I could see. But the one that really caught my eye was a blue Ruki with an old wrinkled face and a head filled with grey hair—but despite all that, her eyes still had a youthful, mischievous look. "Granny Leslie?" I whispered.

All of them ran forward to greet us, but Mom got here first, embracing Dad enthusiastically. "Hello, my lady," he murmured after he kissed her. "Did you miss me?"

She laughed, and for that one moment, I knew that we were going to be okay again.

Week 4

"That ungrateful stupid hag!" was the words I got up to in New Years. I stretched sleepily. Ever since Christmas, Mom thought it best, at least for a while, to stay in Charlie's house; at least with Granny Leslie was also visiting, counteracting Grandmother Anne's unpleasantness. I still didn't have that much of a chance to talk to her – as much as she used to love to spoil me, I can see why she was fussing over Dad more. She had thought he was dead.

Surprisingly, Kayley's family didn't seem to care whether she came home or not. At least, no one had been knocking on our door asking where she is.

Jacques, however, had been sending nemails daily, asking "Is she awake yet? Is she awake yet?" Honestly, he was acting like the twins when they were hyper. But the answer was no. Kayley was still in her prolonged slumber, although I had a feeling that she would be waking up very, very soon. Her room was right across from mine, fit for a princess, I'd say. I had been visiting her everyday, in case she woke up, and instructed the butler (Jarvis) to keep an eye on her at all times and warn me if she did.

I don't think he liked being ordered around by me, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Really, there are perks of being a rich kid. The down-side, though, was that Emerald was also staying for a while. Apparently she had finally given up the bank key, but had decided to stay put in Charlie's house—and they were only too happy to let a duchess stay. There wasn't anything wrong with that. What irritated me was that Ebony kept coming to visit, and he was prone to very loud entrances.

Emerald was sitting on a couch, reading a book. She was probably the only one in the whole of Neopia not bothered by his outbursts. She didn't even look up. "What did Violet do now?"

"What did she do? Nothing! It's what she didn't do that mattered!" he snarled. "She barely even _looked _at me. She couldn't even say my _name. _What the heck is wrong with her? And yet she's all lovey-dovey and nurturing to Hazel here." He shot a glare to his younger sister. She shrank back slightly. "She called me an idiot! And her friend, some Kougra or another, nearly gored me with her sword."

Hm, I wonder who that can be?

Emerald turned a page on her book. "Well," she said reasonably, "I don't think she liked it much when your father came and asked her to come home with him. Have you tried to see her by yourself?"

He spluttered. "By myself? Why in Neopia would I do that?"

She laughed. "You two remind me of a poem. _As much as you argue, as much as you fight, you always turn it around by the end of the night. You really do love her-"_

"What?"

"_You really do care_," she continued smugly. "_You really do hope that she'll always be there. _Author, Ebony?"

"Zach Watson. And that is _so _not what I think," he seethed. "I spend the better part of the last three years shoving her and Hazel in a shed."

"Uh-huh," she said skeptically, her green eyes locking on his dark ones. He quailed a little, backing away nervously. I don't blame him. Those emerald eyes are intimidating.

The doorbell rang, and Jarvis went to get it. Emerald left to get a glass of water. Hazel glowered at her path. As soon as I was sure Emerald was out of earshot, I turned to her. "Okay, Princess," I said. "What's with you and all the enmity with Em? She isn't that bad, as least as far as I can tell."

"Not bad at all," Ebony interjected, giving his sister a warning glare.

"Leave off," I told him.

"You can't tell me what to do."

"And I suppose Timmy can?"

"That little Wocky will get what's coming to him one day," Ebony muttered, but he didn't say anything else.

Hazel frowned at me. "Nothing wrong with her? Really?" I shrugged. "Don't you find her kinda…disturbing?" I shook my head. "You don't know who she is, do you? Who her mother is...was?"

"No," I replied.

"And I forbid you to tell him," Ebony snapped. "Em doesn't need someone else bringing that up."

"Em _this_, Em _that_," Hazel said irritably. "You stick up for her more than your own friends—or your own sisters."

"She's certainly a lot less annoying than the lot of them."

"You don't even really like her," Hazel continued. "You just became her friend because Daddy said so."

"Hazel!" he exclaimed, sparing a glance at me.

"Wait a minute…you mean you don't really like Emerald?" I said, utterly mystified.

He glared at me. "Being friends with a duchess – especially a royal one – can be very, very beneficial, even more so if you want to be successful at court. I do _not _want to be stuck here forever."

"Court? What?"

He rolled his eyes. "The court of the monarch. _Duh. _Courtiers are allowed to live in the palace and help with royal matters. There's no way I'd ever get in the Brightvale one—I mean, that stuffy old king only likes the best of scholars to help him, and no matter how manipulative I am, I am _not _bookish. There's a chance in Meridell, but the other stuffy old king _there _doesn't even take his duties seriously. All he does is munch on a drumstick. There're the other nearby kingdoms, but my father has his sights set of Richmond; the third largest kingdom. And like I said, having a duchess for a friend can be a big help, especially if she herself rises."

"So you really don't like her at all?"

"I did not say that," he said coldly, warning me by his tone of voice that he would not appreciate me repeating what he said. I blinked. I had the strangest feeling of déjà vu.

"Lord Ebony," Jarvis called out. "You might want to see our guest."

"Who is it?" Ebony asked. Jarvis didn't reply—just held out the door. Ebony sighed, and then dragged himself up to see this so-called important person. He returned with a pale face.

By then, Emerald was back, too. She gave him a small smile. "Who was it?"

"Your father," he said.

Her eyes widened, and she stood up immediately. "Oh, dear," she murmured. "Is he in a good mood?"

"No," he said flatly.

She cursed. "How am I supposed to speak to him?" she said breathlessly. "I'm a mess! I'll be stammering out phrases-"

"Don't be silly," Ebony said, steering her out. "You'll be brilliant, as always." She smiled a little. I went to follow her curiously, albeit hidden behind a few marble pillars. I wanted to see what this duke would look like.

Fat, apparently. He was a Skeith (are all powerful aristocrats Skeiths?), a red one, dressed with an ermine cloak and a serious expression. Emerald was almost trembling—and believe me, before this that girl seemed fearless. Try as I might, I couldn't picture her stealing his bank key. Hazel, who had followed me, saw my confused face and guessed what I was thinking. "She probably stole it from his secretary," she told him. "She's not as scared as him as she is of her father."

As soon as she saw him, Emerald curtsied low. "Hello, Your Grace," she said softly, not daring to look at him in the eye.

A head poked out behind the king—a green Chomby, around Timmy's age, grinning t her. "Hello, sister!"

The corner of her mouth twitched, but she still didn't look up. "Hello, Duke Ekanite," she said. "Your Grace."

"Don't look like that," he scolded her, rising her up. "Not 'Your Grace.' _Brother._"

She smiled at him. "Hello, brother." She gave him a hug, and he grinned delightedly.

"Papa, can I tell her the news? Please?" Ekanite said hopefully. His father favored his with an indulgent smile, and I realized that the reason Ekanite was liked better was because he was a boy. I frowned. So he was one of _those _dads. It wasn't fair. "Em, you'll never believe it! Papa was made Lord Protector!"

Emerald's eyes widened. "Oh, my," she said, forcing a smile on her face. "That's…excellent news, brother. We have a cousin?"

"Uh-huh! The King of Richmond just made it known today. Her name is Princess Jewel."

Emerald's eyebrows flew up. "Princess? It's a girl?"

"Well, yeah," said Ekanite, confused. "So?"

"Ah, nothing," she said carefully. But from Ekanite's adamantly curious expression, she knew that she was beaten. "You see, there has never been a Queen who ruled by herself that hasn't been overthrown."

Hazel muttered, "And they usually lost their heads." I gulped.

"Oh," said Ekanite, understanding. "Then Papa should be really, really careful with Princess Jewel, right?"

"…Yes, of course," Emerald replied, not telling him that if Jewel died, their father would be next in line for the throne. I frowned. That meant Emerald was fifth in line now.

I did some calculations in my head, wondering who the heirs were in order. There's Princess Jewel, the duke…I'm guessing the next one would be Ekanite, since Uptown apparently preferred boys…but I didn't know who the next was. Who was before Emerald?

I shrugged. It didn't seem important.

"We should go home now!" Ekanite said chirpily. "Then we can meet the new princess."

"Yes…we should," she said softly, looking at her father. He gave her a nod. Emerald looked behind her and waved briefly at Ebony, and then turned her eyes at me. I nearly gasped. She knew where I was? She just gave me a small smile, as if saying again, _I can be a useful ally. _Then she went on her way.

"Still think nothing's wrong with her?" Hazel asked.

* * *

><p>The moment Jarvis told me that Kayley was waking up, I bolted for her room (even if it was in the middle of the night), clutching the useless stones as if they could be of any help. When I got there, she still seemed in a place between dream and reality—and her dreams didn't look pleasant. She struggled, as if she was in a nightmare, but slowly, surely, she was waking up. Maybe for the last time. I swallowed nervously.<p>

Her grey eyes were sharp as she looked at her surroundings; but to my alarm, they were fast fading again, becoming dimmer and dimmer the moment. A visible sign that her time was running out. "Where am I?" she murmured.

"Um, in Charlie's house," I said carefully, half-afraid she'd freak out. She looked at me questioningly, as if she couldn't even summon up the energy to talk. "You fainted after Master Jacques's talk with us," I elaborated. "And, well, Juliet suggested my dad and I take you in for Christmas."

She gave me a half-smile. "So, your dad's okay, then?"

"Yeah," I said, choking up. "Because of you."

She hand-waved, as if that part didn't matter to her. "Is Master Jacques gone?" I nodded. "Good. I was worried he'd stay in hopes he could help."

"Could he have helped?"

"No," she said firmly. "No one can help now. Put the thought out of your head, okay? In fact, I better get going...unless you want to explain to your relatives how I died in this house?" she asked dryly. "Hm. Not a bad idea. I could haunt you for all eternity."

"Kayley!" I snapped. "Not funny. You can't die."

"Hm? And what's going to stop me?"

"I don't know. You tell me," I pleaded. "Come on. You're better with plans than I ever was. You know something that can help."

She hesitated, then shook her head. "Nope. The only other option would be a fate worse than death, and I certainly don't want that. Like I said, you're making this too hard. You'll manage fine without me. Just keep your head up a teeny bit more for schemes and stuff, okay?"

"Oh, come on!" I groaned. "_Tell me._ Please."

"Hanso, the only way you're going to save me without that 'worse-than-death' thing is if you fix the stones, and that's certainly never going to happen," she said matter-of-factly.

"But I _did _fix the stones," I complained. "See?" I showed them to her.

Her jaw dropped, as if she couldn't believe it. Then her expression turned angry. Her eyes narrowed. "Who died?"

"What?"

"Someone had to sacrifice himself or herself for one of the stones. Since you fixed both, it was guaranteed that two people would die. Who were they?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Daley. I didn't ask them to do it," I said quickly. "And…I think they wanted to."

"Huh?" I filled her in on the whole 'immortality' thing. "Oh, Fyora. I knew something was odd about her, but I didn't think that'd be it." She shook her head. "I'll owe her for life."

"Which is not going to be very long," I said angrily, my voice rising, "If you don't tell me what I can do to help!"

"You've helped enough, Hanso." Before I could protest that I didn't, and that if I hadn't been so stupid she wouldn't have been dying in the first place, she grabbed the stones. At once, they shimmered brightly, blinding my eyes. Before I put my hands on my face to shut the light out, I saw one was the color of molten gold, the other of silvery moonlight. More importantly, I felt power.

Those weren't just sparkly magic tricks, like I felt when I was holding a potion or standing by the Kiss-the-Mortog stand.

They really were powerful, so much that it kinda scared me to think about it. What frightened me more was that apparently, Kayley could wield the power. I remembered Mrs. Daley's warning. _If my instincts are correct, then she can be very, very dangerous one day…if she lives. Perhaps it's better that she doesn't._

_I hope you know what you're doing, my dear. _

Do I?

No. But she's my friend, and fear of something she might do shouldn't stop me from allowing her to live.

Then the light faded. I peered at her face, hard, and I saw that finally, after all the worrying…she was all right. I sighed with relief. "So all you had to do was touch it?"

"Yep," she replied. "No person of another family would do." I frowned at this new piece of information, but decided to let it slide. "So," she said, a little awkwardly. "Um, thanks for taking me in for Christmas. I do think I should get going, though."

"Okay," I said, a little at loss.

Then suddenly she grinned, and all I could think about for the space of five minutes was that I never really saw her smile, and if I did I would've thought she was the prettiest girl I've ever seen; prettier than Sophia, Violet, Brynn, and yes, even Juliet. But in a different sort of way. Her smile was warm, real, if a little surprising, and I couldn't help but smile back. It was such a nice change from her usually glowering face, too. For a moment, it seemed that her whole face lit up. "You really think I'd leave without saying thank you properly?"

"Well, I'm sorry to say I've mistaken you for the ungrateful type, Miss Halvard," I said cheekily. She rolled her eyes, and then gave me one of her stones. "Hey, wait," I said, realizing what she was doing. "I screwed up big time the last time you gave me this. And you're doing it again because…?"

"Because, idiot, I _trust _you. Even if you didn't know what it did you still tried to take care of it, though maybe not as diligently as you should have. Nevertheless, you made up for it anyway. You should have it again." Her face made it clear that she wasn't going to take no for an answer. I took the stone. "And just so you know, I will never repeat that sentence again."

"What? That you trust me?" I said, grinning. "No matter. I have it stored for life. I can't wait to tell the whole class, no, the whole Guild, no, the whole of Neopia-"

"Shut up," she groaned. And that's how I knew she was really back.

"If you're going to give it to me again," I said slowly, "Can't you at least tell me what it does?"

"What do you mean?"

"You once said that it did so much more than let us communicate. You said that there was only one more power I could control. What is it?"

She titled her head. "It's won't be much use to you…wait. You said that Masila destroyed Marie's crystal ball, correct?"

"Yeah," I said, wondering where this was going.

She nodded and frowned, as if thinking about something. Then she straightened. "Okay, then."

"So you'll tell me how to use it?"

"Better. I'll _show_ you. A warning, though: Don't fight it. You can burn your brain up."

"Okay. Wait—burn my brain up? What the-?"

She smirked, and hummed an unknown tune. It took me awhile to process that. Kayley. _Humming. _Before I could ask if the stones _really _cured her, the world disappeared in a flash of silver light.

* * *

><p>It was a bright day in Brightvale, warm and sunny. There had been a few tragedies of late, but of course, they had been quickly ignored; they were caused by <em>thieves <em>after all. The only reason people acknowledged it was because Summer Vines, the late Captain of the Guards, was praised for stopping the worst of it. That the same Captain had perished in an overseas did not seem to impact her former glory. A black Acara, about six or seven years old, rolled her eyes as she heard yet _another _compliment for the Captain.

She was getting tired of this.

Making her way near the Guild entrance, she hesitated when she saw a Kyrii. But before she even had a chance to turn away, he addressed her. "You here to sign up for the classes?" he said in a bored voice. "Of course you are. No one wanders here but thieves and those hoping to join us."

"Mmm," she mumbled.

"Okay, kid. Where are your parents?"

She turned red. "Um…"

"Sorry, little girl, you can't sign up with your guardians' consent until you're eighteen…"

"I have their consent," she snapped. "They just couldn't come with me."

"Oh, really? And how do I know you're not lying?" he said dryly. "I don't usually trust people I see on sight." Without a word, the Acara girl produced a necklace; a cobrall surrounding a piece of the Heart of the Mountain. The Kyrii's eyes rose up. "They gave you the necklace?" he said, surprised. "Why would they go through the trouble of doing that and not go with you?" The little girl just shrugged, her eyes downcast. "I'm sorry, kid," he apologized. "Tell you what, you're really not supposed to sign up without your parents, but I think we can bend the rules just this one time. What's your name."

"Kayley Halvard," she replied.

"That's nice," he commented, writing it down. "You'll probably be in my class."

She blinked. "You're a teacher?"

"And why is that so surprising?" he asked in a teasing tone. "Do I look that immature?"

"No. You're Jacques," she said flatly. "Aren't you supposed to be on the Black Pawkeet or something?"

He nearly dropped his pen. "And how in Neopia did you recognize me?" he asked, shocked. "Most people usually remember Garin, but…"

She shrugged again. "I like adventure books. And I liked you better than him in the stories," she said honestly. "You always seem a lot more sensible than him."

At that, he chuckled. "Got that right."

"So why aren't you there now?" she asked him.

He bit his lip. "It's kind of a long story," he murmured. "A fight between me and my friend – not Garin – caused most of it. I suppose I should just get over it, but I'm a bit of a stickler for old grudges."

"Even if it keeps you out of the sea?" she said in disbelief.

"It's not just because of that," he said defensively. "Like I said, it's a bit of a long story."

"If you say so," she said skeptically.

"Haven't you ever gotten to any fights with your friends?"

It took her a long time to answer, but when she did, her response was a slightly sad one. "You've got to have friends to 'fight' with them."

"Oh." Jacques frowned. "Maybe you'll make some this year."

"Unlikely," she said, not in the least because she didn't _want _any—she knew how each person who associated with her ended up like. She shuddered, not wanting to think about it.

"Well, we'll see. In the meantime, count me as one," he said, squeezing her shoulder. She arched an eyebrow, but gave him a tiny grin. "There! You look nice when you smile."

"So they say," she muttered.

He beamed at her. "Say, don't tell anyone who I am, okay? I'd like to see how long it'd take them to figure it out."

"If they can," she countered.

"I'm betting two years."

"I'm betting never, unless you tell them yourself," she told him.

"Deal. And whoever wins has to buy the other a soda."

"Okay," Kayley said. Although her morose mood didn't completely leave her – would never completely leave her, really – she felt a bit more light-hearted, better than she had a long time.

He smiled and addressed her formally. "Farewell, my student. Fair winds until we meet again."

* * *

><p>It took me a while to come back to reality, but when I did, I was completely amazed. "That was awesome!" I cried. "It was even better than Marie's crystal ball. I mean, I actually got inside your head."<p>

"And," she added, smirking, "Magic barriers don't affect it. Even if someone blocks a memory, it won't work. There is a downside, though."

"What?" I asked.

"It only works when there's a moon, for one," she said.

"Wait. There's no moon now-"

"That's a limitation for you, not me," she explained. "And you've got to have someone who was actually there's permission to view the memory. If all the people who were there are dead, then it's free, but before that you'll have to ask. Besides that, you really, truly have to concentrate on the memory. For me, it helps if I sing...or hum...a tune.""

"Well, that sucks," I said, deflating.

She rolled her eyes. "It still gives you quite a bit of an advantage."

"As long as I don't fry up my brain."

"As long as you don't fry up your brain," Kayley repeated, nodding approvingly. "Oh, look, it's almost midnight." I knew my mom and dad would be downstairs watching the clock – they probably thought I had gone to sleep – and I began to do the same.

"Five…" We heard the crowd say below us. Yeah, it was that loud. "Four…three…..two…one….HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

"Happy New Year," Kayley said half-heartedly. "Now I really have to go."

I grabbed her arm before she could exit. "Can you at least say we're friends?"

"Oh, come on. I already said I trusted you."

"Please?"

"We're allies," she conceded. "I can definitely say we're allies."

Unsatisfied, I began protesting. "But that's not fair-"

She smiled at me again, and I let go of her. But that was okay. Something in her smile reassured me, saying something that she might never do with words. For once, no matter what impossible task I'd have to do next, no matter how many people hated me, I was sure that I'd at least always have her to back me up.

And because of that, I knew everything was going to be all right.

* * *

><p><strong>Compared to Hanso's last New Year with Kayley ended, I think they're relationship improved quite a bit, right?<strong>

**For those of you who might have figured it out, yes, Emerald is _slightly _based on Elizabeth I; at least, she has a lot of her backstory. At one point Em's tale will swerve a lot from Good Queen Bess's (her personality isn't that much of what I picture the Virgin Queen's to be), but until then, you can enjoy a bit of a history lesson. Oh, and I changed the poem into second person; it was originally in first. **

**And so ends season 4. Did you like the finale? Due to something unexpected (classified for now, but I'm hoping…), there won't be updates nor refurbishments for a bit. See you in a while. ;) **


	49. Interlude: Kayley's Promise

_**This chapter might be deleted later. But don't worry; after the long, boring author's note, there actually is a story, so if you want you can skip it, read the story, and go back and hear my apologies. :D **_

**I'm really sorry for the long delay, but I did say it was going to be a while. Sadly, I have more bad news for this story. My life is kinda hectic by now. The reason why I had quite a bit of time to write HJ before was because I was pretty much in a suck-ish school, and I've kinda needed an outlet (I credit HJ – and you guys – for keeping me sane). Now, my situation's changed. And the school I'm going to is…well…awesome. Besides that, it's giving me a lot of opportunities with writing; and while I love that, it also keeps me writing from HJ. Right now, I need to write two short stories (one due on Wednesday, one at the end of August) and a feature article; besides that, while I really love HJ and all its characters, I kind of want to write something completely by myself, and not just fanfiction. So…yeah. HJ is not my top priority. **

**But, like I said, I credit it for keeping me sane, so I don't want to give up on it. I **_**will **_**upload when I can. There's a lot more plots I want to show, and many things to resolve. I might actually end it a little earlier than Ame; maybe sixteen, or seventeen? It seemed as if Hanso and Brynn hadn't seen each other much by the time they meet in TFR, anyway. As long as there's still a plot, and things that I need to resolve, and try to keep working on it.**

**Refurbishments are cancelled, by the way, at least until I completely finish HJ. Sorry 'bout that. And here, I shall answer a few remarks from last time: **

**Whateva- Why did I mention Violet and Sophia? It was more of looks that how much he liked them. Sophia is a disco Zafara, and though I suppose it's just my own bias, they look really pretty in my opinion (I love their colors). Ame mentioned once that Violet was the 'prettiest girl in the Guard,' though I don't think Theresa was in the picture yet. To be honest, I thought that Brynn was the odd one out, but I kept her in anyway. It's hinted a lot in TFR that he's dated a lot of girls before; I doubt that he liked Brynn first, or at least didn't always think of her that way. Plus, he's just eleven. :P **

**Ame- I know, right? Queen Elizabeth I is awesome. So awesome that I…uh…succumbed to her awesomeness and actually wrote a fan-fiction of her. Okay, I'm sorry guys, but this story idea just popped into my head and wouldn't let go, so I was forced to write it. So yeah, two fan-fictions are currently battling in my mind.**

**If you want to read it, I've already uploaded it. I got the idea from the fact that Elizabeth's first words, after nearly dying from smallpox in 1562 and going into a coma at one point, were to make Robert Dudley (her favourite and pretty much the most hated man in England) Lord Protector. That gives him almost absolute control. We know that Robert never gets the chance – he predeceases Elizabeth – so the story is based on the twist that Elizabeth named him Lord Protector **_**before **_**she slips in a coma. Don't worry. You don't need to have watched the Tudors to understand this (as this all happens after the show), though it might help you knowing who her family members (and her five stepmothers) were. **

**Big thank you to Kamryn for reminding me of HJ. **

**Now…in the meantime, enjoy this brief interlude which I may or may not delete later on.**

* * *

><p><strong>Interlude: Kayley's Promise<strong>

Someone was following her.

She could feel it down to her very bones. Oh, this person was careful, all right. The stealthiest person who attempted to follow her. He made sure that she never caught a glimpse of him, never left any traces, never even so much as let a twig snap. She was impressed against her will, Kayley had to admit. She doubted that anyone her age, even Hanso or Julius, could even begin to guess that someone was tracking them, not with a person as cautious as this guy.

But she had other ways to tell.

She paused in front of the river that Master Jacques had taught her in so many times. It was frozen, now—not surprising, as it was January and the clear sun hadn't made that much of a dent in the cold winter yet. For a while, she studied her reflection. She had mastered the art of a dispassionate gaze, a feat she was quite proud of; as a child, she was always told that she was an open book. And now, not even Master Thieves could tell that she was thinking, a useful skill considering who she was usually up against.

Kayley looked closer. Besides the expression, the eleven-year-old in the ice was a lot different from the little girl that had once looked back at her when she was six. Her hair was a lot shorter than her old waist-length hairdo. But it was growing—she'd need to cut it soon, she thought regretfully. She used to like wearing it in a braid. Her grey eyes, which once spoke of blue-grey clouds and tin toys, now looked as if they could cut steel. And she herself was a lot crueller and ruthless than that little girl seemingly could have ever been.

She kept her eyes on the river, never looking away once. An hour passed. Two. Finally, a voice sighed. "All right. You've made your point." A handsome yellow Lupe around his thirties made his way out of the trees, a small grin on his face. His belt was strapped with weapons and tools, suggest both a warrior and an inventor. On his shirt was badge….a guard emblem. He, Kayley mused, was probably the only guard she truly ever liked. But then, he'd known her for a very, very long time. And he wasn't _exactly _a guard.

That wasn't what most noticed about him first, though. What usually attracted their attention immediately were his eyes. They were a clear, dull white.

He was blind.

She supposed that's what she liked about him that most. When he met someone, he judged from the inside. He said that's helped him in more ways than one, that it's been more of a blessing than a disability…although, he told her when she was old enough, he hadn't realized it until someone showed it to him.

"I knew you couldn't sit still for long," she said smugly. She looked around. "Are you alone?"

"Afraid so," he told her. Although he couldn't see her, he knew that her face had fallen slightly. "Hey," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You know your mom stays away to keep you safe, right? She loves you."

"Yeah, yeah," Kayley mumbled. "Go on, Master Reynie. What's her message this time?"

He sighed. "You're not safe." She snorted. "Hey. This complaint of hers is justified. You haven't been making it safe for yourself," he continued sternly. "You think that I don't know about that little stunt you pulled off a few weeks ago?"

"I suppose your girlfriend told you," Kayley said dryly. She knew how besotted he was, even if he never admitted it.

"I will ignore that. But come on, darling. Do you really think that your mom wouldn't have sensed you when you were in the same territory as she was? Not to mention how weak you were." He frowned. "You're not sick now, though. I can tell."

"I was cured," she replied. "A friend helped me."

"Lemme guess. Hanso." She didn't answer. "That kid is more trouble than I could have first thought."

"_You're_ telling _me_."

He smiled slightly. "Why didn't you tell your mom or me?" he asked gently. "I'm just surprised Flynn didn't rat it out to her."

"I'm surprised your girlfriend didn't rat it out to you," she muttered. Then his words sunk in. "Flynn?"

"Oh, yeah. She was the one who sent him, didn't you know?" he said, smirking. Kayley stared. "See? She cares about you. She wanted to give you another ally."

"An annoying ally," Kayley muttered.

"But I guess the truth's spilled out anyway, huh, that Garin wasn't the one who sent the guy as a gift?"

"Yep. Now the whole class's convinced he's evil."

"Convince them otherwise," he instructed. "That little bird is as useful as he is irritating."

Kayley nodded. "I'll try. Juliet's his owner now."

"'Trying' is not good enough. At least not for your mother."

"I sense a punishment coming up."

"You sensed right, although it's not really a punishment. You are forbidden in ever using your powers again unless it's a life-or-death situation. _Not _your friend's life-or-death situation, though. _Yours._" She scowled. "Oh, and you're forbidden from involving yourself in any other skirmishes to do with magic. She's also reminding you not to draw attention to yourself," he said quietly. "If you want to solve something, you are to do it through Hanso. I was at that little ceremony a few months ago, you know, when he told everyone that he'd have died if not for you."

"Everyone was still focused on him anyway," she said defensively.

"It was sweet of him," he conceded. "And I know you're not usually one to back away from the spotlight, whatever you let others think—I know it's been killing you these past few years, not being able to take credit for what you've done, nor ever showing your full potential." She looked down. "But it's for your own good."

"I understand."

"Do you also understand the punishment?"

"Yep. I'm grounded."

He snickered. "That's one way of looking at it. Oh, and you are also to absent yourself for one week of classes so you can fully recover."

"But that's—" He gave her a look. "Fine."

"Okay. One more thing, though. Why'd you give that Hanso guy the necklace back? He broke it the last time. And after who it used to belong to…well, I was actually pretty surprised when I was told you gave it the way the first time, let alone again." He frowned at her. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't," she promised. "I think he'll be more careful."

"Good. Because, you know, if he didn't find a cure, you're mom would've had to use the _other _option."

"I'd rather die," Kayley snapped. "You know it's only been used once before, and you know what happened to that guy."

"Even if you had died, your mom would have avenged her death through the person who apparently killed you."

"It wasn't Hanso's fault!"

"Tell that to a distressed mother," he said. "I suggest you start taking better care of yourself." She nodded. "But I see you're avoiding the question. Why'd you give it, anyway?"

She closed her eyes. "It belongs with him."

"No, it doesn't," he said, his tone carrying a warning edge. "It belongs with your family, and only your family. You know this. He can't even control this power—heck, his brain might get fried." She was silent. Master Reynie frowned, analysing the situation like he always had, and came up with an answer. "You love him, don't you?" he stated flatly.

There was a long pause. "Yeah," she admitted. "I can't help it. He's too much like Alex for me not to."

"And that makes him all the more dangerous," he said solemnly. "You know that he's _not _Alex, right? Look, darling, you don't need to make amends for anything," he told her, guessing correctly what was going through her mind. He looked to her face. Although she knew he couldn't see her, she still squirmed. "It was _not _your fault." Silence. He sighed exasperatedly. "You don't believe me, do you?"

"I'm still pretty big on blaming myself."

"Okay. Fine. Protect him. Treat him like you would've to Alex. But don't do it in your own expense, hon. You haven't been very cautious lately, you know. A lot more people know about your secret that I'm comfortable with."

"Juliet doesn't know!" Kayley said indignantly. "She just followed me home. I think she came up with her own conclusion."

"That's still pretty dangerous. And the fact that she managed to follow you-"

"I learned my lesson. You taught me to sense when someone was coming after me. I haven't made that make since. And I won't ever again," she promised. He looked unconvinced. "No one else knows who I am."

"All right. Just make sure _you _know who you are."

"How could I forget?" she said bitterly.

"Just making sure." He studied her, and said quietly, "Please be careful. You know I'm not always around. You know I'm usually traveling the world, trying to learn new things, catching criminals-"

"Meeting up with your girlfriend-"

"You're getting annoying about that now, you know." She smirked. "One day, you'll find a guy you really like, and _I'll _be the one teasing _you_."

"Unlikely."

"Anyway, you and your family are really old friends of mine. Both me and…well….you know….owes you guys a debt of gratitude, and we'll be there if we can. Even if we, in a face of a crowd, appear as enemies."

"I know."

"Your mother doesn't want to lose you. Neither do I, Princess."

"You can't call me that here," she reminded him.

He leaned close to her and whispered, "Emerald suspects."

"One of your students, I presume?"

"That's confidential. The point is, one of her abilities is to see things as they really are, including magical objects. That little façade didn't fool her at all. So…."

"Be aware of her, of my friends, don't get attached to anyone, and always be completely paranoid."

"That's my girl." He saluted her and ran off. Kayley bit her lip, resisting the urge to call after him. Although he might not have been real family, he seemed a lot like at it times, treating her almost like a little sister. And Fyora knew how she missed having people look after her.

It was getting late.

She had to be careful.

And she needed to look after herself.

No more Reynie, or Mother, or Alex to do that for her now.

She turned back to Brightvale, and headed towards home.

* * *

><p><strong>Did you like it? How was the new character, Reynie? Did it get you even more curious of Kayley? ;) <strong>

**Should I delete it or not? One of the limiting things about HJ is that it's in first person, and sometimes I like going to other people's heads, too. Tell me if you want more of these little interludes. :D **


	50. January at Age 11

**Wow. People freak out when I use the l-word. But I guess it's understandable, seeing that you guys don't know who Alex actually **_**is **_**yet (though I will not spoil that, even to make this clear. Bwa ha ha ha). Guys, Kayley, like Hanso, is eleven, and she's not the type of girl who crushes on someone—she has other things to worry about, as you'll see later. Here's a passage which I had put in the last chapter on purpose:**

_**"You're getting annoying about that now, you know." She smirked. "One day, you'll find a guy you really like, and **_**I'll **_**be the one teasing **_**you**_**."**_

_**"Unlikely."**_

**Reynie would've started to tease her right there and then if he suspected that she liked Hanso that way. Which I highly doubt that she does.**

**Whateva—It's kinda the opposite. I'm perfectly content in my school right now; it's actually when I **_**am **_**having a horrible time do I have the savage need to write (it's like a therapy for me, to be honest; I either write or go to the library and pick up books at random, that soothes me too). I don't know how Echo is dealing with it, though. :P Still…I don't know what price I'd pay if I could go back to the time when I first began writing HJ. Be careful what you wish for (which is something some of the characters will learn very, very soon). **

**Kamryn—Do you mean Xandra? I refuse to confirm or deny that. ;) **

**Correction from Ch. 45, which I had just reread and face-palmed when I saw my mistake: Emerald is around **_**Ebony's **_**age, not **_**Charlie's **_**(I can't believe I mixed that up). I fixed it now, though. Her canon age so far is fifteen, turning sixteen either March or April. **

The Month of Sleeping (January) Age 11

Week 1

I wasn't even sure it was Juliet when I saw her.

She was carrying a huge pile of boxes stacked so high I couldn't even see her face, but there was no mistaking the tell-tale ponytail and her voice saying, "Excuse me, pardon me," whenever she bumped into something, very often a wall. I would've thought that some guys would have liked to help her - she really was pretty, with her warm chocolate-coloured eyes and bright smile, and I was aware that some people even had crushes on her – but I guess maybe it was too early in the morning for them to feel helpful even someone that they liked.

"Hey, Juliet," I called over to her. "Did Razor finally snap and rob the library?"

Behind the boxes, I heard a giggle. "I bet Sophia wouldn't like that." She trudged forward a few more steps. "Nah. I'm just helping someone out."

"It looks like you're the one who needs help," I commented. I bowed gallantly. "Do you care for some assistance, fair maiden?"

"Yes, if you please," she said sweetly, carefully setting down two or three of them. She was still carrying a lot, though. Before I could convince her to give me anymore, she gave me a huge, dazzling grin that instantly made me tongue-tied. "You've done enough," she told me, as if reading my mind. "I visited Kayley. She's not coming this week."

"What?" I shrieked. "Did she get a relapse or something?" I'd never forgive myself if she died anyway.

"Oh, nothing like that. She said that she thought she could use a week off so she could fully recover."

I frowned. "Are we talking about the same Kayley here? The one I know would never skip class unless she was fatally sick. Scratch that, she attended class even when she _was _fatally sick."

Juliet coughed, looking slightly uncomfortable. "She also said not to worry, she'd beat you in every single subject once she came back."

"Right. She's definitely feeling better." I was still a little worried, though. It didn't seem that much like Kayley to miss classes against her will, but thinking about it wouldn't help that much. I decided that if she didn't come next week, I'd seek her out for myself. That settled, I relaxed. "What's in these boxes, anyway? Bricks?"

"I'm not sure. It could be books, like you said."

"Or golden coins, taken from a treasure trove."

She laughed. "Or dozens and dozens of sea shells stolen from Mystery Island."

"Or a faerie artefact, liberated to be used for evil!"

"Where did that come from?"

"I have absolutely no idea." I thought about it. "It'd help if I actually knew who these boxes are for."

"The new teacher," Juliet explained. "I decided to help him out a little and get this stuff to the classroom."

"Shouldn't your brother be helping you, then?"

She snorted. "You can never get Julius up early for the first day of school, especially if there's a new teacher. I opted to go ahead myself, although I've told Flynn – he's at my house now – to peck him if it looks like he's going to be late."

"But that's good, right? He's trusting you more."

"I don't think so. He knows I'm going to make him help the new teacher if he came with me." She paused. "There's some new students in the classroom."

"So? You'll get along and they'll love you, like everyone else does."

She smiled. "I hope so. I haven't met them yet, but I know Tyler's there."

"Really?" I was glad. Besides Julius, a lot of our class is kinda short-tempered, and it'd be nice to have someone level it out. "His year off as an Assassin's kid is over?"

"Pretty much." She bit her lip. "Um, would you mind if you go ahead?"

"You're going to have to meet them eventually," I told her.

"It'd be awfully sweet of a friend of mine would introduce me." She looked at me pointedly, and I had to chuckle at her attempt on subtleness. "Pretty please?"

"Oh, fine." I doubted I could ever say no to anything she asked me to.

"Thanks."

"But only if you let me carry the rest of the boxes."

"You don't have to-"

"Give 'em here, Juliet." She rolled her eyes, but handed them over. Giving me one last smile, she turned back the way she came, probably to go back to the new teacher to ask if he needed any more help. The only problem that left with is that now _I _was the one wobbling back and forth with the boxes. I got a little faster than Juliet, since I didn't stop to apologize to any of the walls, but my progress was almost as slow as hers. Thinking that it'd be really humiliating if she'd come back down the hall and saw me still walking at a slorg's pace, I tried to pick up the speed.

And promptly bumped in to someone, toppling the boxes all over the floor.

"Oh, man, I'm so sorry," I began to the unknown person. I inwardly cursed myself, knocking over a complete stranger, who now was kind enough on helping me rapidly take back the boxes. "I-" The person turned around, and I was confronted by a pair of beautiful, green eyes.

They were nothing like Emerald's, which were piercing and intimidating. This was a leaf-green, a friendly one, more like the fresh grasses of Brightvale in the spring. I guess the girl being a yellow Aisha brought the colour out. An interesting contrast was her hair; it was silky and wavy, curled a little at the end, and its shade was a fiery red. In short, she was one of the prettiest girls I'd ever seen, and could probably only compete with Juliet's different but just as nice kind of beauty.

Or Kayley, when she smiled.

I'd like to say I came up with some witty greeting.

Instead, all I could stammer out was, "H-hi."

"Hello," she said hesitantly, in a slightly accented, melodious voice. "Do you need _mosayeda?_"

"What?" I asked, frowning.

The girl grabbed a dictionary from her pocket – I noticed that unlike most thieves, she wore a long cloak that covered her almost entirely from shoulder-down, though she chose to leave her head un-hooded – and flipped to a page. "Oh, sorry. Assistance. Do you need assistance?" She gestured to the boxes spread haphazardly around us. I nodded, and we quickly divided the boxes and began carrying them in a must faster pace. "Where do we put these?" she asked tentatively.

"To Master Jacques's-" Then I realized he wasn't there anymore, and I couldn't remember what Juliet said the new guy's name was.

"To Master Sahira's class?" the girl asked. "Formerly in the ownership of Master Jacques?"

"Yeah." I smiled at her. "So, you're going to be in my class?"

"It would seem so," she said, smiling back.

"You're new around here, aren't you?"

"No. I have simply lived my life deeply sheltered in the catacombs of the kingdom, unaware of the language, and a thief found me and decided to let me come here," she explained. I stared at her. She laughed. "I am kidding."

"Oh!" I grinned even wider. This new girl definitely had a sense of humour, which would definitely be a plus. _Some _people could always be so serious. "Seriously, where are you from?"

"I really am from here," she admitted. "But I had moved away when I was six…" For a moment, her face darkened, but she soon smiled again. "I lived in the Lost Desert. But now we have moved back, and I am very, very glad of it."

"You don't know English very well, huh?"

"Why do you say so?"

"Ever heard of contractions?"

"_La_." She bit her lip. "I mean, no. Still, I have just gotten here; you cannot expect me to know a language in such a short time, even if it was once my own. Give me a month or so." She smirked. "I can be very fast in learning new languages. Although," she added playfully. "It would not hurt if _someone _would teach me a little."

"Sure," I said. It'd be nice to spend some time with this new girl. "Hey, we're here."

The room wasn't very different from when we left it. Flynn's cage was gone, probably taken by Juliet sometime around the holidays, and the code book that Master Jacques used, but everything else was still there. That also meant that the shelves were still filled, so if what the boxes contained were books, the new teacher would have to throw some of Jacques's old ones away. I wouldn't put it pass Razor to hunt through the garbage afterwards, though.

I glanced at the girl to see how she liked it; to my surprise, her face showed complete and utter shock and happiness. I blinked. Our classroom wasn't _that _good. Then I followed her gaze, and found that she was looking at two boys; both with the same red hair, green eyes, and yellow colouring that she had. The taller one was wearing a grey woollen jacket, while the smaller was wearing a purple one, but other than that they were identical in almost every way. I raised my eyebrows.

We had triplets in the classroom.

Before I could ask her about them, she ran to the one slightly taller. "Whoa, sis!" he said, his voice not having a trace of an accent. "You're crushing me!"

"Does that even matter?"

"My lungs were nearly destroyed when Mercutio was the one doing the hugging. I have no doubt you will kill me if this keeps up."

Mercutio? I thought. Why does that ring a bell?

"I am sorry, brother dear," she said sweetly. "I forgot you had sensitive lungs. I shall now handle you with the utmost and delicate care forever after."

He rolled his eyes. "I knew that you not being very good at English yet wouldn't taint your sarcasm."

Mercutio, the other brother, snickered. "He has got beat you there, sister."

"He has gotten me there, or beaten me there," the girl corrected. "Or, he has got me beat." Mercutio stuck out his tongue.

Then the older brother glanced upwards at me. "Who's this?"

The girl smiled sheepishly. "Forgive me, _habibi. _What is your name?"

"Hanso," I replied, giving her a smile.

Her jaw dropped. "_The _Hanso?"

"The one that faced Masila?" her brother said, staring.

"The one who Mother said was the reason that we-" Before Mercutio could finish his sentence, both his siblings sprang on top of him and clamped a hand on his mouth.

"Sorry," the girl apologized. She glared at her sibling. "Mercutio does not know how to keep his mouth shut." Mercutio grumbled something, but it was stifled by his siblings.

"Okay…"

The girl brushed herself off as if nothing was wrong and held out her hand to shake. "My name is Rosaline Montague," she announced.

"That sounds familiar," I murmured as I shook it.

She smiled. "My father was once a powerful member of the Council. Perhaps you have heard of him. Or perhaps…" She smirked. "You might have heard of a certain play in which we are all named after."

"You guys were named after characters in a play?"

"Oh, yes. Our mother was quite endeared with it when we were born. Especially as her courtship was like that of the protagonists."

"But what's the play?"

"Will you guess?"

"I don't know many plays," I confessed.

"Neither do I," the brother admitted. "Might as well tell him, sis."

"Our names are from the play-"

"_You_!" a familiar voice shrieked with unconcealed rage. "What are you doing here?"

Rosaline turned around. Her eyes turned to slits. "Well, well. Juliet Capulet. What an _un_pleasant surprise."

"What are you doing in my classroom?" Juliet was actually shaking in anger. I stared at the scene. I had never seen her truly mad before, not even when she said she hated Julius a few years back.

The brother did a double-take. "Say what? This is your classroom?"

"Yes, it is, and you know it. Did you bewitch someone or whatever so you can come in this classroom to bug me?" The Aisha boy shook his head dazedly. "Don't play dumb. This was done on purpose. I know you, Romeo Montague!"

It clicked.

Romeo and Juliet.

Figures.

"Slow down, Jules," he said, his hands up in surrender. "I honestly didn't know we were going to be in the same classroom, either. This was probably some mistake-"

"It was no mistake," Rosaline said through gritted teeth. Both of her siblings stared at her in astonishment. "Look, brothers," she whispered so softly that I could only hear by straining my ears. "That idiot Guild Leader said that we had to pay a price if I wanted him to-"

"I don't know what you're doing back there," Juliet called. "But I'm not happy of any of this. I'm going to tell my parents right now what's happened. Hanso, please tell the teacher that I'm going to be late." With that, she began turning to the door.

With lightning reflexes, Rosaline stood up, ran to the other side of the classroom, slammed Juliet near a wall and held a knife to her throat. Her siblings gasped. "Oh, running of to your mother and father," Rosaline seethed. "Is the little Jules so scared to face me? Does she think we cannot survive in the same room?"

"Rosaline," I said, suddenly finding my voice. She turned to me, frowning. "Put my friend down."

"She does not deserve your friendship," she told me. "If you knew what she had done…"

"What I have done?" Juliet shrieked. "It was Romeo who-"

"Silence!" Rosaline snapped.

"Look," I told her. "I don't care what she or you or your siblings has done in the past. All I know is, in the past few years she's been one of the best friends I could ever ask for, and I am _not _just going to stay here and watch you hurt her," I stated. I meant what I said, and they knew it.

Rosaline regarded me coldly, and then shook her head. "You do not know what she has done," she repeated. "And if you knew, you would agree that she definitely deserves this." With that, she raised her dagger.

Time seemed to slow down.

I was frozen in shock, unable to do anything.

I didn't know she would actually do it.

Besides someone really, really evil, who would actually harm another person if it wasn't necessary?

Even Harry, mean as he is, never hurt anyone to the point of death (at least not that I know of).

Luckily, Rosaline didn't have a chance. Before she could send the dagger plunging down, she, in turn, was slammed against the wall by a very, very angry Julius Capulet. His own dagger (the lucky one, I noticed) blocked hers and disarmed her quickly, and then backed her into a dark corner. "I don't know who you are," Julius said so calmly it was scary, "But one thing you do is _never, ever _harm my little sister, especially when I'm watching. Understand?" Rosaline's fists clenched, but she nodded. "Good. Now, who the heck are you?"

Rosaline huffed. "You do not recognize me, then?"

"Why would I recognize someone like…" He trailed off, and he squinted, looking straight into her eyes. She squirmed. "Wait a second. Rosy? That you?" He stared at her in shock. "What are you doing back in Brightvale?"

"That is none of your business!" she spat. "And if you do not want me to harm your precious baby sister, you will not, under any circumstances, use that ridiculous nickname!"

"Okay, okay. Sheesh." He put his weapon back in his sheath, and then leaned down and picked up Rosaline's dagger. "You dropped this."

"I am aware of that," she snapped, snatching it out of his hands.

"Hi guys!" someone called. Turning around, I saw Razor and Tyler striding through the door. "Sorry we're later than usual. I was just talking to Tyler about medicine, and did you know that meditating could actually…" He trailed off when he saw our stances; Julius standing protectively in front of Juliet, Rosaline glaring at the two with her dagger still out, the Montague siblings looking confused, and me just in the middle of it all.

"Tempers in this room are really high," Tyler commented.

Razor frowned. "Looks like it, too. What did we miss?"

"Exactly what I'd like to know," said a Krawk. He was frowning at us, and then glanced at Rosaline's dagger. "Were you fighting?"

"No, sir," Rosaline said quickly, looking abashed that she had made that sort of impression on a teacher. "I was only, uh…."

"Good!" the Krawk barked. "We're going to do a lot of fighting here. I'm Master Sahira. Now, I've been looking over at what your old teacher gave you, and I see that he made you waste time on useless subjects like the History of the Thieves' Guild and Ancient Languages. Pah! When are you going to need something like that?"

"Well," Razor began, who was quite fond of Ancient Languages, "We can learn from the mistakes of our past, and then there was that one time where there were these scrolls that said something about the Bringer of the Night but no one could understand them…"

"Exactly!" Master Sahira continued, completely ignoring Razor. "Those subjects are stupid. Useless." He strode to the box and opened one. My jaw dropped. Those were definitely not books inside.

They were weapons.

He took out a huge, pointy battle-axe. "You, boy!" he said, gesturing to Julius. "You look like a strong one. Have you ever handled one of these?"

"My father taught me how to fight with one, sir, but I'm kind of inexperienced-"

"Good! I bet that'll be your natural weapon. Useful for gory deaths," he said with a grin. I felt my stomach churn. I knew he was definitely a Master Thief, as he wouldn't have been qualified if he wasn't, but that didn't mean Kanrik could have possibly assigned us with a madman. "As for the girls," he said, his voice showing disapproval. "I suppose I can't really expect you to handle the better weapons. You're to fight with these."

"A needle?" Juliet said indecorously. "Are you serious? Why can't we use other weapons?"

"Because your girls," he said coolly. "You're too weak to do that."

"Excuse me?" Rosaline seethed. "Did he just call me weak?"

"Rosaline, please-" Romeo pleaded.

"I am as strong as any warrior you set me up against!" she exploded. "And braver than most of them." She glared pointedly at Juliet.

The Wocky girl scowled back. "For your information, I'll-"

"Master Sahira, shouldn't we getting on with the lesson?" Julius asked when he saw the teacher wasn't doing anything to stop the fight that seemed that was about to begin.

The teacher smirked. "Fighting is going to be the lesson from now on. I say, let the girls start and let's see who lives."

Julius scowled. Before anyone could stop him, he strode right through the two girls. "Okay, guys, you've had your fun," he snapped. "Rosaline, get your hands off my sister and do not harm her. Ever. Again. Second, Juliet, don't respond to her insults. If you recall, she always had a sharp tongue-"

"Excuse me?"

"And one day, I promise to find a way to shut her up-"

"What?" Rosaline shrieked. Julius just winked at her, which made her even angrier.

"But as of right now, you can't let her bait you. Agreed, girls?" The two seemed to want to argue, but when they saw the determined look on his face they thought better of it and nodded. Satisfied, Julius turned away from them and back to the rest of the class, pausing in front of Romeo. "And you," he said, his voice more spiteful than I've ever heard it, "_Stay away from my sister._"

* * *

><p>"I didn't think you'd show up."<p>

"I promised, didn't I?" I snapped at Ebony. The sixteen –year-old was dressed in a fancy suit and tie, leaning against the wall comfortably.

"And so did I," Charlie piped up, also wearing a suit. I started to feel kind of uncomfortable just in my trench coat, but I let it slide. "In fact, I'm rather surprised you showed up. You weren't even there when Sapphire asked us to go to her Ribbon Ceremony."

He snorted. "And you think you're the only one who can be friends with Saph? Need I remind you, Charles, that it's usually with her cousin's family that Emerald stays in?"

"Oh, _Emerald_," Charlie said, smirking. "I should've known it would have had something to do with her."

"What are you getting at, Mr Useless?" he said in a bored voice. Then he frowned, as if a thought struck him, and he glared at Charlie. "Are you bad-mouthing her? That would be a very big mistake. Especially in front of me."

"I would never dream of it," Charlie replied. "I am simply observing that are usually very protective of her."

"Someone has to be," he said, shrugging. "She's a smart girl. Unfortunately, she's a little too generous at times, and I often question about the company she keeps."

"Do you?" Emerald said, walking in herself. Ebony stared at her, absolutely dumbstruck. She laughed. "Oh, come on, Eb. It's just a dress!" It was a gorgeous dress nevertheless. It was made of rich, sea-grean velvet, trimmed with pearls. But that wasn't all. She was also wearing a simple but elegant necklace and earrings, and tied up her long, curly dark hair in a pretty style. As always, her eyes looked at everything piercingly, reflectively.

"Not exactly," he maintained. "_She walks on beauty, like the night_

_Of cloudless climes and starry skies…"_

"_And all that's best of dark and bright," _she recited along with him. "_Thus mellowed to that tender light _

_Which heaven to gaudy day denies."_

"That's the first stanza of 'She Walks in Beauty' by Lord Byron," she explained to us, who were utterly clueless of the poem world.

"Fits her, don't you think?" he said admiringly. "The other stanzas do, too, if she'd actually allow me to say them. Particularly the 'nameless grace' part and the 'waves in every raven tress.'"

She rolled her eyes at him. "But we don't have time," she told us. "The ceremony's about to begin."

"I'm actually surprised your father would let you go so soon."

"I had to beg a lot. But I'm not about to miss my cousin's betrothal and wedding."

"Wait," I said, frowning. "Isn't betrothal and marriage the same thing?"

Ebony snorted. Emerald answered kindly, "No, Hanso, though it might as well be. Once you make a betrothal, it's eternal, and you're bound by it. It's actually just a way of being connected to prominent families, even when the two people are very young. The official marriage takes place when you're older. Then you _consummate_ it." I made a face, understanding. "It_ could_ be on the same day, though. Sapphire is eighteen, and therefore is of age."

"When Hazel turns fifteen, she'll be betrothed then," Ebony continued. "But she won't get married to their grooms yet because she'll still be underage. That happens when she's eighteen. What?" he said defensively. "I can be good at explaining things if I have to."

"Nothing," said Charlie slowly. "It's just, you said Hazel. You didn't mention Violet."

Ebony shrugged. "Sis can be real stubborn, and I wouldn't put it past her to actually break the Tradition for the second time ever—or first, if what I've heard about your mom recently is true," he said, nodding at me. "We come from a family of stubborn people, you have to admit, and hey, she's made it this far. Who knows, maybe she'll come through after all. _She _has a way out." He sounded slightly bitter. "While I have to be married in about two years."

"You don't sound very happy about it," Emerald noticed.

"Who is? At least people with royal blood don't have to marry until their parents say so, you don't have to worry about that. I don't want to be married to a complete stranger."

"No, about Violet having a way out. You did, too." She frowned. "I always wondered why you didn't join the Guard when you were seven. You were strong enough, and your father wouldn't have objected."

For a moment, he seemed almost nervous, glancing downwards at his shoes. "I had my reasons," he murmured. Then a clock struck, and he looked up. "Well, we can't keep Saph waiting," he said. He offered Emerald his arm. "May I escort you inside, Your Grace?" She smirked, and they both went inside, with me and Charlie trailing after them.

The betrothal was short and weird, and I probably wouldn't have understood most of it without Ebony narrating everything bit by bit. I doubt he would've bothered if Emerald wasn't there; but she was, and so he was therefore a lot nicer than he usually is. He told me that the first part was the uniting of the families: That's when an important person – usually a person of high peerage – ties the two families' ribbons together.

Sapphire, who looked beautiful in a sky-blue dress, was nearly in tears in this part, as well as a nearby girl who Emerald said was Ruby. Then we all went to this other room, where there was this tall archway where the groom, the bride, and the important person went to. The important person pronounced them husband and wife, and that's when they were actually married.

It made me feel sick.

"Are you okay, Hanso?" Emerald asked as she took me aside. Ebony glared at me suspiciously, but he didn't dare go closer.

"Yeah. Just imagining what it would be like if I had to go through that."

She smiled at me sympathetically, and then whispered, "Have you thought about my offer from December?"

"About you being a good ally? Yeah," I admitted. "But I'm still a little confused. You're a fifteen-year-old Duchess. I'm an eleven-year-old thief-"

"Who's also the son of the famous Lizzie Windsor," she reminded me. "Do you truly want to know the main reason? My teachers told me to."

"Your teachers?"

"I'm sorry. I can't tell you more than that. But they both insisted that you'd make a very, very good ally, and they've never let me down before."

"I'm still thinking about it."

She sighed. "Fine." She glanced upwards and saw her cousin waving to her. "I have to go talk to Saph for a bit. Excuse me."

"Right," said Ebony presently. "Now all that's left is the feast and ball, so they won't notice if you slip away," he told me and Charlie. I frowned, thinking that he might just want to get rid of us. "Unless you'd rather stay and dance with some rich girls?" he asked, nodding at two gaudy-looking ladies that were batting their eyelashes at me. "Do you even know _how _to dance?" He snickered when he saw my expression. "I thought not. Exit's that way," he said, pointing.

"Mark my words, he'll spend the whole night dancing with Em," Charlie remarked dryly to me.

Ebony simply smirked, his palms up in surrender.

Week 2

"I'm fine, Hanso," Kayley snapped, her hands in her pockets as she went to our classroom. "Stop fussing over me!"

"Okay, okay. But I am a little worried. It's just so unlike you to miss classes, especially the first week of school. I thought you'd be really sick or something."

She sighed. "To be honest, it wasn't really sickness that was keeping me."

I frowned. "You cut classes?"

"I was grounded."

"Grounded?" I said, staring her at disbelief. "Grounded for saving the Guild and life as we know it? I thought your parents wouldn't mind."

"I miscalculated."

"I can talk to them, if you want."

"What would you say?" she said, smirking. "Anyway, it's over now. I just had to promise not to get involved with any more of Guild intrigues…at least directly. And no more magic."

"Still doesn't seem fair," I complained to her. "You never told me you could cast magic before."

"My family are…specialists in this kind. We're pretty unique," she admitted. She glared at me pointedly. "And we don't want anyone spilling our secrets."

"I won't. So is _that_ what you were hiding, all this time? You could do magic?"

She laughed bitterly. "Not even close." We walked in silence after a while. "How's the new teacher?"

"Completely insane," I replied automatically. "H-he's a fighting machine! He favours Julius because he's best in combat, but I don't think he likes the spotlight much."

"Prefers sneaking around," Kayley agreed.

"And seriously, Master Sahira doesn't care what we do as long as we're beating each other up."

"Juliet must have had a hard time of it. She's a total pacifist, isn't she?"

"Surprisingly not," I answered. "Not when she's paired up with one of the Montagues."

"Lemme guess. One of them is named Romeo."

"Yep."

"They have a family rivalry."

"Uh-huh."

"Romeo and Juliet have a crush on each other."

I snorted. "Last time I suggested that to her, she looked like she was going to kill me. Definitely not. Although for some reason, even if Romeo's pretty much the nice guy, it seems that Julius and Juliet hate him the most. I don't know why. If there's anyone they have to look out for, it's Rosaline."

"Rosaline?"

"The second-oldest Montague triplet. She has a right temper, although she usually holds it for me. She's a little talkative, but she has a cool accent and she's getting better at English by the day. She's really smart, too, and as good in combat as Julius, although Master won't favour her because she's a girl. She's really pretty, with fiery red hair and leafy green eyes and heart-shaped face and-"

Kayley whistled. "Looks like somebody has a crush."

"What?" I shrieked. " I do not!"

"You are a terrible liar," Kayley told me sweetly. "Besides, I know the signs. I know this guy who's _besotted _with this girl for years. He keeps going on and on about her. Pity that she's not really his girlfriend, even though I call her that-" She stopped. "Sorry. Continue with this girl-you-have-a-crush-on?"

"I do not," I said, although I knew I was turning red. "Anyway….she's pretty cool, and I really would be friends with her if, you know, she didn't try to kill Juliet on the first day. Did I say she's awesome at fighting with like, all the weapons in there? And yet she's always upholding these customs from her old home, reminding a lot of us (especially Julius) that guys are supposed to treat girls with respect-"

"Well, they should, right?" the red-headed girl herself said, leaning against the wall.

"Rosaline!" I exclaimed, turning even redder. "I-uh-how much of that did you hear?"

"Oh, enough," she replied nonchalantly. She frowned. "We are friends, right, _habibi_? We have no problems with each other."

"Uh…."

"But not for that Juliet incident, yes?"

"_Na'am_," I told her cheekily, the Arabic word that I knew meant 'yes.'

"All right, Hanso. You have my word that I will not harm Juliet unless she has forced my hand."

I stared at her in surprise. "You'd really do that?"

"Of course. If a friend is uncomfortable about it, I shall stop." She beamed at me, and then turned to the right. "And you must be Kayley. Hanso talks much about you." Neither of the girls seemed particularly pleased by this; especially Kayley, who was glaring at me. "You are close friends?"

"He is not my friend," she staunchly denied.

"So much for what you said in New Years'," I grumbled. But for some reason, Rosaline looked strangely happier.

"But you get along, yes?"

"I tolerate him," Kayley agreed.

I coughed. "Uh, right. Let's go in," I said hurriedly, opening the door so they could go ahead.

Everyone was already there when we came in. Razor and the twins waved to Kayley, and she nodded in acknowledgement. Romeo and Mercutio gave her curious glances, but she absolutely ignored them. Then she looked at Tyler. For a moment, it was as if she couldn't process what she was seeing. Then her eyes turned to slits, and she gripped my arm. "May we talk privately?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"Of course," Rosaline said uncomfortably, scooting away.

Kayley dragged me into a corner, out of earshot from everyone. "Why didn't you tell me _he_ was in our class?"

I frowned. "It didn't seem very important."

"Need I remind you, he used to be an Assassin's-"

"He never wanted his parents to join," I told her. "Besides, weren't you the one who told me to ask him for help last year?"

"That was only temporary!"

"Aw, come on, Kayley. He's harmless."

"He's slyer than I thought, if he made you think that. Be careful, Hanso," she warned. "I, for one, intend to keep my distance from him. And the rest of the so-called new kids."

"You're paranoid."

"Thank you." With that, she left me, slipped into her seat, and began reading while resolutely ignoring Tyler.

He gave me a questioning glance, and I shrugged. "Sorry. She's made up her mind not to talk to you."

He frowned. "What for? Did I do something to offend her?"

"Nope. She's just like that."

"Who _is _that girl, anyway?"

"Her name's Kayley Halvard," I told him. "Don't worry. She'll warm up to you in a little while. " I hope. "What do you think of her?"

He smiled slightly. "I prefer not to judge on first impressions. Ask me a year later, and I'll tell you."

"Too bad," Kayley called, still looking at her book. "You might as well judge from _my_ first impression. What you see is what you get."

"I highly doubt it," Tyler replied serenely. She frowned, and didn't look up until the new master came in and strode right next to her.

"You're the student who wasn't here last week."

"Yep. I did give an excuse letter to Master Lyn." Master Lyn was the lady in charge of our education affairs, and if you ask me, she's not doing a very good job.

"Right." He frowned. "You're a girl."

"So?"

"I was hoping for another warrior in class."

"I can fight well, thank you very much," she said icily. "Besides, there are other things more important than fighting. Learning to actually _steal _for example, this is a school for thieves, and ancient languages-"

"Uh, Kayley?" Juliet said tentatively. "He kind of cancelled those classes last week."

"What!"

"Yep. That's what I said," Razor seconded.

"This is crazy!" she exclaimed. "Master Kanrik ordered that we have these lessons."

He snorted. "I've got news for you, girly. The Guild leader has better things to worry about than a little Acara girl's education. Besides, everyone knows how to steal." She rolled her eyes, probably thinking like I was about those grown-ups who were brutal at fighting but couldn't even manage to forge a neopoint. "The most important thing for you to know is how to fight."

"I already know how to fight," she snapped. "Any guard that crosses me will rue the day they were born. And I agree, it's important to know how to defend ourselves. But that's not what the Thieves' Guild stands for."

"And it stands for what, missy?"

"That, sir," she said, looking straight in the eye, "Is on page four-hundred and thirty-two of our history book."

He grabbed her wrist. We gasped, never seeing a teacher manhandle a student before. To my surprise, it was Rosaline who reacted first, unsheathing her curved dagger – Julius once called it a scimitar – and pointing it at him. "Unhand her," she commanded, her green eyes flashing. "This is disgraceful. A teacher should never do that to a student. In the Lost Desert there _are_ a few sexist attitudes, and some feminist ones, but one thing they all agreed on is that they treat women with respect."

The teacher laughed. "And if they don't?"

Rosaline smiled. "I am glad you asked." She leaped up in the air – like a ninja! – and delivered a swift kick on his arm, flipping over and landing gracefully on a desk. He let go of Kayley, howling in pain. Kayley stared at Rosaline, and the rest of the class were visibly impressed. "We _make _them respect us."

"Why you little-"

"Apologize to her," Rosaline ordered stiffly.

"What did you say?"

"I said apologize to her," Rosaline repeated. "What you did was utterly shameful."

"Persist on that, and I'll tell your parents," he warned. Rosaline paled. "Not so determined now, huh, punk?"

She pursed her lips, but her eyes were troubled. "I-I stand firm with m-my decision-"

"No, she doesn't," Kayley answered for her. Rosaline looked ready to protest, but Kayley shot her down with a look. "Save it, flower-girl. It isn't worth you getting into trouble." The Aisha blinked, as if put out by being called 'flower-girl.'

"Excellent," said the teacher, evidently pleased. "Now we can continue the lesson-"

"But I refuse to wield a weapon during classes," Kayley added.

"What?" Master Sahira shrieked.

"You heard me." Kayley folded her arms. "I refuse to do any fighting. I'm perfectly within my rights to do this—it's in the Guild handbook. You can't force me to hurt anyone I don't want to. So, if all we're going to do is fight around here, then I guess class-time for me is over." She stood up. "I suppose my first week off wasn't a waste of time, after all."

"You can't do that!" he cried. "I'll tell your parents."

A ghost of a smile played around Kayley's lips. "Go ahead," she said, utterly fearless. "I dare you." She was not bluffing, and he knew it.

He glowered at her. "Then I'll tell Master Kanrik."

"I've got news for you, Master Sahira. The Guild leader has better things to worry about than a little Acara girl's education. If you say anything to him, I will easily be able to refute everything you tell. Go ahead and fail me. My parents won't care." For a moment, the whole class – including me – looked enviously at her. While my parents are the best I could ever ask for, I think even they would be irritated if I came home with failing grades.

With that, she swept out of the classroom.

"Whoa," a voice next to me said. Tyler stared at the doorway, an awestruck expression on his face. "Who_ is_ that girl?"

* * *

><p>"You placed us in class with a lunatic." I told Master Kanrik that with no hesitation the moment I got into his office.<p>

"I know," was his cool reply. I stared at him, completely dumbfounded. "I apologize, Hanso, but there were simply no other teachers that would handle _your _class. I doubt they wanted to deal with the infamous Hanso Laron when they knew they'd be the ones blamed if he causes trouble in class."

"Is that the only reason?" I said in disbelief.

"Not exactly…." He looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Then what is?"

"I take it that you know about the Montague and Capulet feud by now?"

"Do I?" I shrieked. "Yes! The twins and the triplets absolutely loathe each other! Well, sort of. Julius is extremely cautious with Romeo for some reason, even though Rosaline's the best warrior. Master Kanrik, have you _seen _her? Are you aware that she has crazy awesome ninja moves?" I asked.

He snickered. "That tends to be the style in the Lost Desert."

"I have got to go there one day," I said, in an awed voice. "Anyway, Julius is okay with the triplets except Romeo. He even calls Rosaline 'Rosy' sometimes, and she's really irritated with it. Rosaline, in her part, loathes both him and Juliet, but especially him. I swear, those two are even bigger rivals than me and Kayley, although Julius thinks it all fun. He laughs whenever Juliet tells him to 'crush' her. Mercutio also hates the twins, but you can't really tell 'cause he's not as good with languages as his sister and Rosaline has to translate most of the time. Did I mention that she's really smart? She learns languages so fast, though she's having trouble with contractions-"

"You seem to be going on and on about this Rosaline."

"She's really cool," I insisted. "Romeo tries to stay out of the conflict, but the Capulet siblings hate him the most. I don't know why, though."

"It's probably better that you don't. Those siblings have some…history."

"You know I'm going to find out sooner or later."

"The later the better, then."

I frowned. "Well, that's gratefulness for saving the Thieves' Guild for….the second time? The third time? It has to at least be three times."

"Which reminds me," he said, avoiding the topic. "You haven't seen Miss Brynneth for a while."

"I never have enough time. You know, dealing with the rich kid thing."

"Well, I have a job for you." He took out a book. "I borrowed from this girl, Miss Sophia Clair, in Terror Mountain last year and I promised to get it back for her. You may return it." I was half-way to the door before he finished his sentenced.

Then I paused. A little voice in my mind told me that I should tell Kanrik about Kayley skipping classes these past few days. But she had cornered me after school that day and told me that if I dared say anything to the Guild leader I would somehow find myself sailing on a raft to Mystery Island with no hope of return. "You're still here?" Master Kanrik asked, when I saw I wasn't moving. "Is something wrong?"

I just shrugged, and ran out of the office.

* * *

><p>It wasn't hard to spot Brynn, though it did take a long time. I had to wait an hour or so (and I amused myself by robbing an annoying Zafara lady). She was just coming out of the Guard Base (unfortunately, with Violet) when I caught her.<p>

"Brynn!" I called, running over to her. She looked up in surprise. "I was looking for you."

"Oh, that's soooo normal," Violet said sarcastically, flipping her hair. "Thieves are _totally _supposed to look for guards." Brynn elbowed her. Violet rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

"Anyway," I continued as if nothing had happened. "Kanrik gave me this book for you to give to Sophia." She nodded. Violet outstretched her hand, as if saying, _hand it over. _But hey, the guard girl's annoying, and I wasn't just going to give it to her like that. Instead, I threw it, accidentally-on-purpose hitting her on the head.

"You did that on purpose!" she shrieked.

"No I didn't," I said, grinning.

Brynn sighed, as if we two were hopeless. "Hanso. That wasn't very clever, was it?"

"Maybe we should arrest him," Violet suggested hopefully. Judging from the look on her face, she wanted to do more damage than simply arrest me.

"I haven't broken any laws," I protested.

"Yet," Violet corrected. "You haven't broken the law _yet._" She of little faith.

"So I'm not allowed to walk?"

"You'd have a reason," Violet retorted. So being ordered by the Guild Leader to bring a book back wasn't enough?

"Maybe I just wanted some fresh air," I told her. She snorted.

"Violet, maybe we should go," Brynn suggested when she saw Violet was starting to get angry.

"Where? He's the only thief I can see."

"Thieves don't necessarily look like thieves," I pointed out. I thought everyone knew that. Juliet and Rosaline and, actually, most of my class were living proof. "Otherwise guards would know what to look for."

"Uh-huh," said Violet disbelievingly. "You have a trench coat, gloves, and horrible hair. If that doesn't scream thief, I don't know what does."

I winked at her. "You have earrings, a necklace, and stylishly kept hair. If that doesn't scream rich kid, I don't know what does. And yet, here am I, _also _a rich kid and nothing like you. Thank goodness!" Violet scowled and glanced at Brynn. To her relief, she was bored and was just looking over at the stalls.

Then Brynn stiffened, as if she saw something. "Excuse me a minute."

"Brynn!" I complained. "You can't leave me alone with her. She'll_ kill _me."

"And that's if you're lucky," Violet added.

Brynn groaned, and then did a quick scan of the stalls. "Violet," she ordered. "Go investigate that guy." She pointed to a green Uni, a newbie apparently, sneaking around the shops. Violet glared at me and reluctantly did what she said.

"Brynn," I whined as she held me in a stone-like grip. "Is this really necessary?"

"Yes. I haven't got 'round to questioning you."

"You don't have to do that."

"You're right…I could get Violet do it for me," she threatened.

"Where are we even going? The prison is that way," I said, pointing with my free arm.

"I know. We aren't going to prison." I stared at her. "Of course," she added teasingly, "If you _want _to go to prison, I could easily make something up and lock you in there."

"No, I'm good," I assured her.

She smirked, and then tugged my arm, making us both ducking around a stall and standing right in front of a very familiar Acara lady. "Marie," Brynn said. "I need to ask you something."

Marie blinked, and then smiled in amusement. I tried to cover up my face – I mean, she's one of the best thieves in the Guild, and here I was practically attached to a guard girl – but I was sure she saw me anyway. "I've got a question, too. Why have you brought Hanso to the shoe stall?" What? We were at a shoe stall? Will the humiliation never end?

"I needed to see you and I couldn't leave him alone with Violet," she answered. "My turn."

"Yes," Marie agreed.

"What did Sam to do Masila?" Brynn asked.

Marie raised her eyebrows, as if surprised at this question. In reality, I think she was just trying to figure out a way to respnd. "If he hasn't told you, then he doesn't think you're ready to know." She said finally.

"I am!" she insisted. "In what way would I not be?"

"Remember how Sam looked when he came to get you?" Marie asked. I did, at least; a few scratches and bumps, but it wasn't that bad and I knew he'd live.

"Yes," said Brynn slowly.

"She was about ten times worse than that by the end of it." Marie said flatly, turning back to the shopkeeper. Brynn's mouth dropped open. I blinked, impressed. It wasn't a lie, per se, but it was more of emotionally than physically.

"In what way?" Brynn pressed. Smart girl, picking that up.

Marie was about to answer, when a tall, gangly Kyrii appeared. "Mum, I got the milk and bread and I also found a..." Then Sam saw Brynn, and he instantly dropped the food he was holding. "Brynn?"

"No, I found the Brynn." Marie told him, grinning.

"Actually," I said, going along with the joke. "I think I found her first."

"Hanso?" Sam said, frowning.

"Sam, pick the milk and bread up." Marie ordered.

Sam did as we was told, still having a confused expression the entire time. "Mum," he said, after an awkward pause. "Why's Brynn shopping with us now?"

"She was asking a question." Marie informed him. "You could actually answer it."

"Really?" Sam asked. He knelt down so he was face-to-face with Brynn.

"What did you do to Masila?" Brynn questioned again.

"Brynn," Sam said sternly, looking a little taken aback. We exchanged looks, and we both silently agreed; they simply could not find about this, not yet. I don't think they'd like it very much if they knew he made a secret deal with his aunt. "You're not old enough to know just yet and..."

"That was helpful." Brynn said sarcastically. She glanced upwards and saw Violet, probably finishing off with the green Uni, and walked to her with me dragging alongside.

"Oh, so you take _him _with you." Violet complained. "Favouritism!"

"It was either that or leave him with you."She pointed out. Violet nodded, showing that she understood, but her scowl told me she wasn't happy about it.

"Right," Brynn said, looking back at me.

"I didn't steal anything!" I told her, crossing my fingers of my free hand from behind my back. "I swear!"

"THIEF!"

Darn. Annoying Zafara lady strikes again.

"What did he steal, miss?" Brynn asked her.

"My necklace!" she said in a high-pitched voice. She grabbed a necklace from my pocket before striding away in a huff.

"Looks like someone's been stealing," Violet said, in a sing-song voice. "You're going to jail!"

"What was your reason for stealing this time?" Brynn asked exasperatedly as we went to prison.

"I was doing this assignment for Kanrik," I explained. "Bringing the book back, and the lady annoyed me. It only seemed fair to annoy her back. Anyway, I'm good at being annoying, aren't I? You can just admit it."

"Yes, you are," she agreed readily. "Though you do have your moments." She turned scarlet, as if she said something she shouldn't have.

I grinned as she pushed me into a prison cell. "And what would they be?" She ignored me as she began walking down the corridor. Five….for…three…two…She turned back around, scowling. I snickered. "Missing me already?"

"Just hand over the lock picking tools," she said tonelessly.

"I was hoping you'd forgotten," I commented, giving most of them up. She asked if I had anything else. Sighing, I gave her the rest, and overturned my pockets to prove it.

Of course, I escaped anyway.

Week 3

I made it three steps in Uptown before I was ambushed.

A trap had been constructed in a grass, and I was too busy thinking about stuff to notice it. I frowned and began lock-picking it, when suddenly a boomerang appeared out of nowhere. I ducked, but it hit me the second time. Suddenly, the sprinklers began showering me with paint. _Pink _paint. It was the paintbrush incident all over again, and trust me, I did not want a repeat of that. Mom and Dad would never let me forget it. Using the steel trap, I bashed it hard against the sprinkler, which in turn made the trap released me. A rope net came out of nowhere, but I ducked and swerved it.

I was under attack.

A water balloon – or should I say, a pink-paint balloon – burst near me. I only jumped in the air just in time before I got sprayed. I ran blindly, slamming right into my opponent. I blinked as I focused on a kindly old face of a blue Ruki with greying hair and mischievous eyes. "Granny?" I said, staring.

"How did you like the set-up?" she said, grinning. Before I could reply, she brandished a dagger at me. "En guarde, dear grandson!" I shirked back, laughing, and took out my own dagger as well. It was awesome, just like old times, except ten times more fun because I actually knew how to use a dagger now and she didn't have to hold anything back. We swooped in random gardens, hopped through two different bedrooms, and finally walked into a couple playing chess in a living room.

"Should I even ask why you're in my house?" Ebony said dryly, his arms folded as he held a piece. Emerald snickered.

"Give me one moment," I promised, narrowly missing my dear grandmother's blade.

"You're so lucky my father isn't here."

"You're sixteen, aren't you, sonny?" Granny Leslie called as she jabbed at me again. "Why don't you take care of us yourself instead of running to daddy?"

"You seem to be in a middle of something I'd rather not interrupt," he observed.

"Yeah, yeah," she said, leaping up. Finally, she cornered me by backing me to a wall and pointing a dagger at my throat. "Well, well. Looks like I still got it," she said triumphantly, flipping her hair and looking ridiculously like Violet for a second. I grinned. "How's my favourite grandson?" she asked, giving my hair a ruffle.

"I'm your only grandson," I protested. "You should say grand_child._"

"That wouldn't be very fair to April, wouldn't it?" April is a cousin around my age, and whenever she's in town she and I start arguing on who Granny Leslie loves best. Luckily, I knew for a fact they left her somewhere in Kiko Lake for a while.

"But it's true."

"If you say so," she said, giving me a wink.

"Ahem," Ebony said loudly. "I still don't have an explanation on why you're currently in the living room."

"Spoil-sport," Granny told him. "We were having a bit of fun and ended around here."

"How did you get in?"

"The window," Granny said matter-of-factly.

Ebony sighed; Emerald, however, chuckled along with us. "Oh, come on, Eb. It's not like we didn't break our fair share of windows."

"Really?" Granny Leslie seemed pleased. "You gave the impression of a proper young lady to me."

"It was a long time ago," she admitted. "I was a bit of a tom-boy." I grinned, picturing Em with her long-dark hair in a braid and 'peasant' clothes. "Nearly scared Ebony to death when I dressed up as a page to play with him. You should have seen the look on his face when I took off my wig. It got even better when I tried to put it on him-"

"I swear, it had spyders on it!" he insisted. She laughed. "Though most of the time, even those days, we played this game." He gestured to the chess board.

"I didn't like it very much, back then," she remembered.

"Then why did you play it?" I asked curiously.

"Hanso, court life is a chessboard," she explained. "You're either a player-"

"—Or a pawn," Ebony finished, placing a piece forward. "Your move." She frowned and placed her queen a few spaces. Ebony shook his head. "Bad choice, Em." He moved his pieces again. "Check-mate."

"It's not fair," she complained. "You've been playing much longer than I have. And you had an amazing teacher."

"I thought I was an amazing teacher," he protested.

"If you say so," she said, winking. Granny and I laughed.

"Anyway," he said, trying to hide a smile, "My mother hardly counts as 'amazing' anymore."

"Says you." She leaned close to him; instantly, he turned into an interesting shade of red. "_I _still remember the days when you worshipped the ground she walked on."

"Do you?" he said weakly as she got closer.

"Uh-huh." She grinned at him again, probably knowing how uncomfortable he was right now, and then slid back to her chair. She smirked. "Of course, I don't know how well she thought you how to play the game _practically_, which, dearest, you will definitely need if you are to ever advance in court."

"Are you planning to say something to your father about me?"

"I might. We'll see how you do playing the game in real life."

"Says the girl who can't even beat me on the board."

She huffed indignantly. "I happen to be very good at it in real life situations."

"There aren't many chances, here in Uptown."

"Aren't there? Looks like your mother's playing a game against your father and you haven't even noticed it."

"What?"

"Violet joined the Guard, am I right?"

"To my father's annoyance, yes."

"And Hazel's in the Academy?"

"For the time-being, although I wouldn't put it pass Mother to cook up some excuse to get her back."

"I don't think so," she informed him.

"What? Why?" In response, she began setting up the board again, though this time in a very different style. "That's wrong, Em," he commented. "You forgot the king piece in the other set."

"Not exactly. The king isn't _not _there. He's simply put away in safety."

"That's not possible."

"Say it is, for a moment. What would be the effects?"

"The King is the most valuable piece on the board. If you catch him, it's check-mate. But if he's simply not there, there's no way for the other side to win."

"Now, say Violet and Hazel are the King piece, since they're what matters most to your mother. Your mother isn't just Honey, Ebony. She was once Grace Trate, and the only thing that was holding her back-"

"Was that my father kept threatening to hurt Hazel and Violet," he continued.

"Right. Now that they're both out of the way-"

"There's nothing holding her back," he completed, visibly impressed. "And it's only a matter of time before she makes her move. You really are good at this."

"You could be, too. You just have to take in account that the board aren't always equal all the time."

"I'll keep that in mind," he said, absently taking the missing King piece off the nearby table. "I suppose you're right that I'm not so important to Mother to qualify as part of the King piece."

Emerald's eyes widened. "Eb, I didn't mean it like _that_-"

"Oh, we both know it's true anyway," he cut her off, smiling ruefully. "I suppose treating her like a servant doesn't help."

She bit her lip. It was clear that he wasn't going to say anything further. "So," she said hesitantly, aftera short pause. "There's the game. That's the chessboard. Who do you think you are inside it?"

"The pawn, I suppose, since I don't really want to get involved."

Emerald made a look of horror. "Ebony Adonai, pass up a game of chess? I've never heard of such a thing!"

He snickered. "All right, all right. What do you prefer me to be? The bishop?"

"How about the dark knight?"

"Oh, sure," he said, a little sarcastically. "Go ahead, Em. Choose the roles I should take."

"I think I shall," she said sweetly. "What I'll let _you_ choose is, which side are you on?"

For a moment, there was absolute silence.

"You don't have to answer me right away," Emerald said. "But I'm telling you , Ebony, that you better decide really soon before you end up on the losing side. Same goes for you," she told me, finally noticing we were there again. Granny Leslie and I had been watching the scene with interest, me partly because I've never seen Ebony treat a girl with that much respect before, and partly because I wanted to see if they had any info about breaking the Tradition.

The latter they didn't have, but it was fascinating nevertheless.

It'd be interesting to see what he'd choose.

Week 4

"Are we still friends?" Juliet asked.

It was the first time I've ever visited her house. Granny Leslie has made it a point of honour of going to every Guild member's place, invited or not, to chat with the person and make them extremely uncomfortable. Since the twins' house was next, I decided to tag along, wanting to talk to Juliet. This past month, I had a feeling that she was upset with me, and I wanted to know why. "Yes!" I said, shocked. "Of course we are."

Julius and she had bunk-beds, she at the top. Right then, Juliet was sitting cross-legged on her part, so I had to look up to see her. Julius stayed sprawled on his, casually bouncing a ball on the ceiling of his bed. "Then why are you hanging out with Rosaline a lot?" she asked. Her tone wasn't angry—it was more sad and hurt. She frowned. "Do you know what she and her siblings did to me?"

"No-"

"And I forbid you to tell him, sis," Julius said tonelessly, still bouncing the ball.

"What! You can't tell me what to do-"

"Rosy should have a chance to make her own friends here outside her siblings," he informed her. "You can't just take that away because of an old grudge."

"Easy for you to say. You weren't the one-"

"They've kept up their end of the bargain so far," he reminded her. "They haven't hurt you. And so, I'm content for now. Besides, you're being unfair to Hanso. Need I remind you, sis, you didn't have a problem when he was befriending a guard. You can't say differently when he's befriending a thief."

Juliet sighed. "I'm sorry. They can just be…so…irritating at times." She gave me a weak smile. "Just don't forget about me, okay?"

"Of course not," I told her quickly. "Oh, and I brought you guys something."

"What?" Juliet asked, her eyebrows flying up. Even Julius looked curious.

"How about a bag of candy?"

"Oh my gosh," Juliet said, marvelling. "You have an ethnic piece from every part of the globe."

"It's from my grandmother, to honour a deal we made a long, long time ago," I said, grinning. I refused to let her read it – to her delight, since she said that meant it had become personal – but I showed her how much I wrote and told her most of the 'exciting adventures' she told me I would have. Turns out she was right.

Although I was irritated that she omitted the 'terrifying and life-threatening' part.

"Good luck, Han-so. SQUAWK!" said a familiar voice. Flynn was there, with a spark in his eye that made me kind of nervous. Kayley keeps trying to convince me he's not evil, but I'm not so sure about that yet. I don't even know where he really comes from, and he absolutely refuses to tell. "Yer gonna have lotsa new adventures headin' yer way! SQUAWK! And they'll even be MORE life ther-rea-ten-ing than before! SQUAWK!"

"Perfect," I sighed. "What's next?"

He made a kind of laughing noise, flew over to my arm, and pecked me. "Be-ware the Dagger and the Mirror. Squawk!"

**Note: The guides in my profile have been updated in regards to stuff I put in this chapter. I also have a new poll. :)**

**What the Montagues are speaking really is Arabic, by the way. I wish I had Rosaline's gift of languages when I moved back to the Philippines. She'll probably be speaking normally by the time New Year comes around, and I'm still confused with the verbs and stuff. :P **


	51. February at Age 11

**Well, it happened again. A story idea has managed to take hold of me, and I am powerless as it demands me to write for it. If you're wondering what it is, it's "Canary's Call," a Hunger Games fanfic in which one twist – one warning – changes the lives of the Everdeens and Panem forever. Here's a hint: Someone manages to live longer. In my defence, I'm also using that story as an experiment. I'm writing it by hand in school (which solves the problem of desperately finding time to write) in contrast to typing everything like I do for HJ. Check it out if you want; I'm really sorry for the lack of updates here. **

**Important announcement: All the musical one-shots I've done are now non-cannon in the HJ universe. I didn't really think them through—I did them on a whim with a huge case of writer's block. So yeah, sorry. **

**Kamryn- I can only write HJ infrequently, what with the school paper, my own projects, and a blog to run. To make up for it, I usually write extra long chapters (in contrast to how I and probably Ame first began, when I updated almost every day and had very short chapters) or at least something with a plot twist. **

**Lunaraquafy- Welcome aboard! I'm glad you're liking the HJ chapters. Since you're reading it from the beginning to now, I hope you see improvement in my writing. :)**

The Month of Awakening (February) Age 11

Week 1 

Uptown seemed almost like a different place that morning.

For one thing, there weren't a lot of people there; there weren't any snobs that looked down on me. At this point everyone had already heard of Elizabeth Windsor's brat that could inherit the entire family fortune, and let's just say these rich folks aren't real welcoming—made more than a little sad than Granny Leslie leaving yesterday, saying that she needed to collect April from Kiko Lake soon or my dear cousin would throw a fit. She's probably right. April's the type of girl who's always confident, snarky, and hates to have the spotlight taken away from her. Annoying how much we're compared with one another, but at least she says she's better than me because of her abilities (read: tight-rope walking while managing to whistle some band's newest song) than how much 'class' she has.

Then there's the scenery. With all the awful stuff that usually happens here and the things that people have to put up with, it's actually really beautiful. When I was little, I remember thinking that rich people had perfect lives or something. Well, Charlie pretty much threw that down the drain when he told me his life story, but you almost couldn't believe it, looking at the place. Flowery gardens that had enough scent to make you a little dizzy? Check. Rose-topped roofs and balconies that made you want to sit there all day? Check. Sunlight streaming through the clouds with a haze of brilliant colours? Double check.

It's also surprising how quiet it is.

I mean, I was a little shocked. All the sound there was were the birds and the petpetpets chirping. It was actually kind of peaceful. For a moment, I allowed to let my guard down – something that Kayley drilled in to my head later was a VERY STUPID THING TO DO – and relaxed….

Only to have something very pointy on my back the next moment. "Put your hands in the air where I can see them," said a familiar voice, and I groaned inwardly. It had been a long time since I dealt with this jerk, but I can all-too-well remember every single thing he did to Brynn and the rest of the Rebellion. "What the heck are you doing here, thief?" Harry demanded. The lanky Lupe did not look happy. This was probably beyond his field of experience. "We have our own security for keeping thieves out of this place."

"Your security must suck," I answered. "I've been visiting this place since I was eight."

He pushed his blade a little deeper. "Well, that depends. I'm guessing you haven't gone too deep in Uptown here, have you?" He huffed. "I suppose you're here to check on my useless cousin, Charles. Have fun begging him for money." I raised my eyebrows for a moment, but then realized—Harry had probably been gone for a long time, and I doubted anyone ever thought to keep him the rich kid loop. Did he really not know about my little revelation?

"Um, no," I said carefully. "I'm not here to see Charlie, for once."

"Well, you're not here to see Hazel, that's for sure," said another voice. Brilliant. Violet and Harry, two of my least favourite rich kids. "Before you say anything," the purple girl told me, "This person and I are _not _coming here together. We're simply heading to the same place at the same time, so you better not tell Brynn or the rest of the Rebellion about this. Oh, and person, you better let the thief go. We're wasting time." Harry muttered something but took the sword off my back.

"Whatever," I said, not bothering to thank her. I questioned her silently, my eyes darting to Harry's and then locking on hers. _Did he know?_ She shook her head, making a face. I felt a teeny bit relieved and continued on, trying to ignore both of them. But as we walked, it became pretty obvious that we were all heading towards the same place. "Okay, wait. Where are you guys going?"

"None of your business," Harry snapped.

Violet seemed about to say the same thing, but since she probably can't stand to agree with Harry, she replied, "To my house."

My jaw dropped. "Why? You know Hazel isn't there."

"I know," said Violet sadly, "But another friend of mine is."

I froze. "This friend has to have an awful lot of influence, getting you both to come here at the same time. I thought you two can't stand each other."

"We can't," Violet stated. "I am not even acknowledging his presence right now." Harry rolled his eyes. "As for the friend, yes, she does. I haven't seen her in years, though I think she's dropped in once or twice. I kind of missed her; and she's one of the few people that he-who-is-not-here-right-now –" Harry shot her a look –"has a soft spot for."

"Exactly who is this person?"

"Why do you want to know?" Harry cut in. "It's not as if you actually know her. She's _way _above your league. My league, even," he admitted. "Most people her type only hang out in the palace, since they're too important."

"She's royalty?" I was getting really alarmed—it was getting clearer and clearer who this mystery person is. "Please don't say it's Emerald." The shock in their eyes was all the answer I needed. I sighed. I should have expected this, devious trickster she is. "I got an invite, too," I told them. "She wanted to speak with me, for some reason."

"And how would you know her?" Harry questioned.

"I've been around Uptown a lot, lately." Violet and I shared a significant look. "Anyway, we've crossed paths. With you two in tow, though, I'm seriously doubting if I should even come."

"Oh, you should," Harry warned. "When Emerald Navarrete calls, you _better _answer. The consequences aren't pretty if you don't, both because she has very powerful friends"- and with that, he cracked his knuckles- "And because, more often than not, she has very important information, especially if you're in a fix." He made a face. "Though why she would help a thief, I have no idea."

"Because he's a gentleman, that's why," Emerald herself said, popping up the street. "He knows how to say please and all that." For a moment, I was slightly taken aback—she was entirely dressed in black, right from her hat down to her shoes. But that didn't stop her from donning an easy smile and a relaxed manner. She held her arms out; to my surprise, Violet quickly ran into the older girl's embrace. _Much _more affectionate than Hazel's reception. "Well, look at you," the duchess said admiringly, twirling Violet around. "All grown up and as pretty as we all guessed."

"Not all of us, Em," said a red Wocky with long brown hair.

Another Wocky, a green one that slightly resembled the other girl, chided her, "Be nice, Ivy."

"You can't tell me what to do!"

"I'm your brother. Of course I can."

"Um, no you can't," Violet chimed in.

"Well, this seems like a nice little reunion," Charlie mused. He was also sitting on a step, reading a book. He smiled at me. "Hullo, Hanso." He frowned when he saw the guards. "Harry."

"Charles."

"Let's get the introductions out of the way," said Emerald pleasantly. "Most of you obviously already know each other, but just to make it clear that's Harry, a guard whom you might have already seen around-"

"Oh, trust me, I have," I muttered.

She shot me a questioning look, but if she was keeping information then so was I. She continued. "This is Charlie, his cousin, and Ivy and Harley, Ebony's cousins. We've all known each other since childhood, except maybe for Charlie here." She frowned at Ivy. "Where are your other sisters?"

"They're in bed with a cold," Ivy said in a bored voice. "They got really frustrated that they wouldn't be able to see you today."

"They probably would have felt better if you hadn't rubbed it in their faces," Harley told her. "'_I'm seeing Emmy! I'm seeing Emmy! And you guys are in bed, sick! Ha ha ha ha!_'"

"I couldn't stop myself," Ivy said, not sounding the least bit guilty. "Hey, wait a minute. Where's my cousin? My _favourite _cousin," she clarified, shooting Violet a disdainful look. "I thought he'd be the first person here, what with him being your best friend and all."

"It's seven a.m.," Emerald reminded them. They nodded like that made sense. "You can never get Eb up before nine," she said, for my benefit.

"We can _try_, though," Harley suggested, a slightly evil smile tugging at his lips. "It would be an excellent ice-breaking activity, if I do say so myself, Miss Navarette. Then later you can tell us why you dragged us down here for."

"I did not drag you," Emerald replied primly. "I simply called, and you all came to me."

"I apologize if we seemed too eager. We are just so delighted to be graced by your oh-so-brilliant presence," Charlie piped up. Emerald stuck her tongue out at him, and the rich kids all laughed. It was really weird. I never saw them get along this well, having such a friendly time with each other.

"In any case, it's not for me to decide. It's not my house, is it?" she said pointedly to Violet.

Violet grinned. "Oh, go ahead. I don't mind."

"Brilliant," Harley said, rubbing his hands together. "I can finally get back at him for super-gluing a wig on my head when we visited Meridell and convincing everyone that I was a girl."

"An ugly girl," Ivy stated.

Together, we made our way up to his room. Both Honey and Black were out for the day, which seemed odd, but I didn't mind it too much. The chamber was surprisingly pretty cheerful, with none of the dead portraits of relatives hanging on the walls. Instead, the place had a huge bookcase, a sword (oh, no, Ebony can fence?), a fireplace, a chessboard, a walk-in closet, and a comfortable-looking four-poster bed with a sleeping sixteen-year-old in it. Not for long, though. "So, how are we going to do this?" Harry asked.

"We could just throw a bucket of water on him," I suggested.

Ivy looked at me with disdain. "And what fun would that be?"

"We could take him _to _the bucket of water," Charlie suggested, a smirk on his face. "Or maybe a bathtub of something vile. He'll have to clean the bathtub up himself and take a bath. Then we could pick his clothes for him-"

"-Instead of those boring business suits that he always wears," Harley agreed. "Wow. Didn't know you had it in you, Charlie."

"I might even reconsider denying that I'm related to you," Harry said. Charlie scowled. "What do we put in the bathtub?"

"We have a couple of unis," Ivy said. "Our house is just a few blocks away. And we have an extra pile of manure."

"How are we going to get him to the bathtub without him waking up?" Harry asked.

"Leave that to me," Ivy said wickedly. "The rest of you, put manure in the bathtub and pick out Master Adonai's most embarrassing clothes."

Thankfully, I was assigned for clothes-duty, not the manure. But it proved to be a more difficult ask than I thought. Ebony didn't seem to have any embarrassing clothes at all—his wardrobe consisted of different types of business suits, no doubt chosen for him by his dad. Briefly, I wondered what the closet would look like if he got to choose the clothes himself, or maybe his mother. In the end, Charlie and I decided on a t-shirt and a pair of slacks, which I really couldn't see Ebony wearing by choice. Grinning, we put it in the rack by the shower just as Harry and Harley finished dumping in the last load of manure.

Emerald, meanwhile, was helping Ivy make some sort of slide with sheets and a few chairs they found lying around. It was a clear path straight to the bathtub. Inwardly, I was impressed with how Ivy could think of something that cool in just a few minutes and do it, too, but I didn't say so. I had a feeling that her head was already big enough.

"Just one question, though," Emerald said as she knotted the last sheet. "How do we know that he won't just storm out of the bathroom in a fit of rage, manure or no manure?"

"Oh, he won't," Ivy said confidently. Emerald just shrugged and accepted her statement, and then walked away to talk to Harry. "Not when Em's here, that is," Ivy said under her breath, smirking. She winked at me. "He loathes appearing less than his best when she's around."

"Then I think we picked just the right clothes for him," I replied. She just chuckled. I'm not sure I liked this brown-haired tinkering diva, but I couldn't deny that she was interesting.

"Ready?" Harry asked, taking one side of the mattress.

"Ready," Harley agreed, taking the other. Ivy cheerfully took of the teen's blanket, though it spurred no reaction from the him…yet. But after Ebony got slipped onto Ivy's slide by Harry and Harley and unceremoniously dumped in a bathtub full of manure with a bunch of laughing kids shutting the door behind him, I think he got the message that it was time to get up.

His scream confirmed it.

* * *

><p>"You will all pay for this," Ebony warned. Most of us just chuckled. "I mean it. One day, when you least expect it, I shall get you all back and have my vengeance. You won't even let me change my clothes!"<p>

"What's the fun of dressing you up like that if you're just going to take it off right away?" Ivy asked. "Don't worry. The lock in your closet will open by the end of the day."

"I'm not going outside dressed like this."

"Oh, come now, dearest," said Emerald sweetly. She linked her arm through his. "You actually look quite cute in that outfit. Don't be such a drama queen." He scowled at her, but he stopped complaining. I hate to admit it, but he actually was quite good-looking even without his usual get-up. In fact, maybe more so because he wasn't dressed like a mini-version of his dad. "Anyway, it got us all to be friendly with each other."

"That was fun," Charlie chimed in, "But I do still wonder, Em, why you got us together like this."

She sat down on Ebony's bed. For a moment, her face looked a little weary. "My uncle's dead."

There was a gasp. "Your uncle…the king of Richmond?" Harry goggled. "Wow. I was wondering why you were all dressed in black. Though, of course, you still look pretty." Em punched him on the arm lightly.

"And my father's the Lord Protector. He has to rule until Princess Jewel, my little cousin, comes of age. My aunt, the Queen Dowager, will be retiring to a few estates quite far away; she won't be seeing her daughter much. Father will be keeping them separated." Emerald's voice was soft when she said that. The rich kids exchanged glances. "You all probably know what this means for me."

"For a time, your father will stall," Ebony guessed. "Keep you guys in a stalemate for as long as possible. But when Princess Jewel gets old enough to form her own opinions, he will arrange an _unfortunate _accident, clearing the way for himself and Ekanite to become kings after her." She nodded, giving him a slight smile. "But for now…he wants to give a united front with his family. Show who's really in power. Which means we're probably not going to see you again for quite some time."

"That depends on if I displease my father or not."

"You won't," I said confidently.

She shook her head. "I'm the most irritable to him, Hanso. I get sent away the most. It's ridiculously easy for me to lose his favour, and terribly hard for me to get it back again. But," she said, a note of hope creeping into her voice, "He did promise to spend my sixteenth birthday with me for once, and this is sure to get him in a good mood. Not that I don't want to see you guys, though. I've missed you these past few years."

"So that's why you dragged us here?" Ivy said disgustedly. "To say good-bye?"

"To ask a favour."

"Brilliant. And what is this little favour?"

Her voice was soft but clear when she spoke. "Help Hanso with his little rich-kid problem."

"Wait," Harry said, confused. "Hanso has a rich-kid problem?"

"Didn't anyone tell you?" Ebony asked. "Hanso's your _other _third cousin twice-removed or something."

Harry opened his mouth. Then he closed it. Then he opened his mouth. Then he closed it. The he said, "The thief is my cousin?" He was answered by a number of nods. He opened his mouth again, and then he shook his head. "Excuse me for a moment." He entered the bathroom and closed the door. We distinctly heard a huge scream. Then he re-entered. "Right. What were we talking about? Helping my….the thief?" He frowned. "You know I can't do that, Em, even if I wanted to. I'm a guard. If you really wanted someone to help him, you should know he already has an accomplice-"

"Brynn is not an accomplice!" Violet protested.

"Sure she isn't," Harry said sarcastically.

"Be that as it may, I think he could use a few more ….allies," Emerald spoke up. "At least for now." Her eyes locked with mine, and I suddenly I knew why she was doing this. She knew that I was still deciding whether she could be an ally or not; and she was showing me exactly how useful she could be. I got a glimpse of Ebony frown slightly. I had a feeling he knew something was up. Regardless to how I felt about it, all of the rich kids with the exception of Charlie broke out protesting.

"But Emerald, he's a thief!"

"He's a thief with horrible hair!"

"I don't even know him! What use could he have to me?"

"I have too much to worry about without needing someone else to look after-"

"Why should we do it, anyway?" Ebony asked. Immediately, everyone fell silent. It was a good question. Why should they try to help a scrawny thief like me, especially when they had their own problems and lives to worry about? And maybe some of the rich kids were a little surprised. I doubt they've seen many arguments between Ebony and Emerald before. "We barely see each other, anyway," he added, gesturing to them. "We don't really work together much. Why should we set that aside just to help this guy?"

"Because of Rule Number One," she told him. All the rich kids had shocked faces—apparently, 'Rule Number One' held a lot of weight to them.

"But he might not-"

"Even if he's not, I am," she answered. "You will help him, right? For me?" She looked at them pleadingly.

"Of course," Charlie said immediately.

Harley frowned. "Well, if it's truly necessary, then my answer is yes."

"Ivy?" Emerald prompted.

The Wocky huffed, but said, "If I'm not in the middle of a project or something, I'll help him when he needs me."

"You know this will conflict with my duty as a guard," said Harry, who never so much cared as his duty as a guard as that he was allowed to beat thieves up. "But if it's for you, then sure."

"Depends on what type of mood I'm in, what I'm doing, or if my friends are with me," Violet said snobbishly. "But fine. I'm not going to steal anything or sell out the Guard to the Thieves' Guild, though. Nor the Rebellion."

"Never asked you to," I replied.

"Good!" Emerald smiled brightly, and then looks at the last person who hasn't stated his answer yet. "Eb?"

The Usul folded his arms. Emerald frowned. "Look, you've obviously got this lot agreeing. Why do you need me?"

She threw him a look that says _"Are you kidding me?" _but he remained frowning. So, she sidled up closer. Unlike the time at the chessboard, he doesn't even turn red. Instead, he looked back at her fearlessly, his dark eyes boring to her green ones. I noticed, then, that they're just as intimidating as hers in a different way—instead of that cold green that regards you dispassionately if you could be useful or not, his was an intense dark black, focusing all his energy and completely entrapping you. "Because, Ebony," she said softly enough that the others couldn't hear except me, "You're the only one in this lot who can manage to spring a plan together."

He pulled away. "Mother's going to be on his side, anyway," he muttered. "She's still planning to make the first move. She's just waiting for him to lay all his pieces on the table."

"Oh, so _that's _it? You don't want to help him because that would mean also helping your mother."

"Yes," he said bluntly.

"That's ridiculous."

"And petty," he agreed. "But I'm standing by my decision."

She shook her head. Then she gave him a hug. He had a priceless look of astonishment on his face, but he hugged her back. "Okay, dearest. If that's what you want. But I'm really going to miss you the next few months." She let go.

"Don't stay away as long as last time, okay?" Ebony said.

"Please. Now that I've met all of you again, there's not a chance you can keep me away." That was met with huge grins from the rich kids. Emerald sighed and looked out the window. "Well, Carlos – my driver – is waiting for me. I've got to go." She fixed her green eyes at him. "You'll change your mind about helping, Ebony. I know it."

He snorted. "Because I'm so fond of helping people?"

"No." She smiled at him sweetly as she walked out the door. "Because the Ebony Adonai I know could _never _resist a chess game."

Week 2

Master Sahira gave us a little field trip today. I was kind of relieved. I almost thought that that they were gone once Jacques left.

The triplets stuck like glue to me. Sadly, that meant Juliet stayed away – though she did smile at me, a little wistfully, I guess – before she stalked off by herself. Surprisingly, her brother didn't follow her example. It's usually the opposite. It isn't like he was following us; on the contrary, he simply went doing his own thing like he always did, as if he didn't care whether the triplets were there or not. Rosaline didn't look pleased, but she resolved not to comment. "So," she said, looking around. "This is fascinating. What are we to do here, _habibi_?"

"Steal stuff," I said matter-of-factly. "What?" I asked when I saw her surprised expression. "Aren't you supposed to do this in the desert?"

She shrugged. "My class always worked together. Create a distraction, grab the goods, make an escape route—though I suppose the risks were higher around there. They might cut off your hand if you get caught." I winced. "And there are _some _people in the class whom I would prefer not to be working with." She glared pointedly at Julius, but he was absorbed yards away examining a stall selling precious metals and didn't see her.

"What's the deal with you and the Capulets, anyway?" I asked them.

Romeo coughed. "I really don't think we should talk about that."

"Bad idea," Mercutio agreed. He has decided to stick to small phrases for now. I guess he didn't want to see how behind he was in learning our language than Rosaline and Romeo. Still, even if he's not quick in that respect I can tell he's really smart—I saw him once sketching a highly accurate map of Brightvale, and he always wears this thoughtful expression on his face.

"Why not?"

"Our families always had a bit of a rivalry between us," Romeo admitted. "A long, and bloody history. Nothing's really changed, though a few years ago…never mind."

"What happened a few years ago?"

He hesitated, and then sighed. "Okay, I'll admit this. The most recent Capulets – Julius and Juliet – and us didn't hate each other right away. There was a huge fuss about that when we were little, our distant relatives freaking out; but Mom believed that we should be able to choose our own friends, and that we had to make our own mistakes. So yeah. We were all really close. Until…"

"Until what?"

"Nothing." His face darkened. "They just took away our chance on—on something really important to us. It's not possible anymore. But my family was humiliated."

"And you moved away," I guessed. He nodded. "You know, it's kind of hard to picture Juliet doing anything bad."

"Of course it is," he said, and I was surprised by how much venom there was in his voice. "No one could ever suspect little Miss Perfect, could they? Nooooo. It was always someone else."

"Julius doesn't hate you, though."

He snorted. "You're kidding, right? He loathes me."

"Well, yeah, but…no offense…it kind of seems that it's only directed at you. He seems okay with Mercutio and Rosaline."

He smirked. "Of course he'd be okay with Rosaline. They were best friends when they were little."

"Romeo!" The Aisha girl kicked her brother in the shin.

"What? It's true."

"I do not want any association with a Capulet—especially if he's standing right there!" Julius was still standing by the precious metal stand – with probably more than a few in his pocket – but he also had a smirk on his face, as if he heard every word we said. Sure enough, he gave me a little wave before running away from a guard. "He is impossible," Rosaline huffed.

I knew that the topic was getting old for them, so I changed the subject. "So, Rosaline, does that mean you've never been caught by the guards since you still have both your hands?"

She smiled dazzlingly at me. "Of course not, _habibi. _I doubt there is any thief who has never made a mistake…except you, perhaps." I turned red at her compliment. Behind her, Mercutio made a gagging face, but he was elbowed by Romeo. "No, some of the guards were very lenient. One of them was actually quite sweet to me—a little seven year old who had recently joined."

"Really?" I brightened up. "I have a guard friend, too."

She blinked. "You're friends with one? Mohammad and I fairly liked each other, but we were never close."

"Well, yeah-"

"Aw, come on, sis," Romeo said. "He's just messing with you. You know you can't be friends with a guard—he was just spying on this one, right?"

"Uh….yeah. Sure."

"You are not a very good liar, _habibi. _You are really friends with this guy, yes?"

"Actually, the guard's a girl."

"Oh." Rosaline frowned, clearly not happy about it. "I see."

"Want me to show you?"

"Okay," they agreed.

I looked around the marketplace for the familiar electric blue eyes and the red hair tied in a ponytail—and there she was, sitting on a bench and keeping watch as she always did. I grinned mischievously. This was going to be _fun. _I snuck really close to her—I was getting a lot better in sneaking around. She didn't notice a thing. Then, when it looked like she was about to fall asleep from boredom, I shouted "BOO!" really loudly.

She shrieked, fell on her rump, grabbed her blade and pointed it right at me. I couldn't help but laugh. "Brynn, calm down," I said. "It's just me!" And a couple of friends watching, but she didn't need to know that.

"What were you thinking?" she seethed. "You nearly gave me a heart-attack."

What are friends for?

"Sorry," I said nonchalantly, sitting on the bench. She glared at me. I bumped her on the shoulder. "Aw, did I scare you?"

"No!" she exclaimed, a little too quickly. Lie. "It will take far more than you jumping on me and shouting 'boo' in my ear to scare me."

"Of course it will," I said, my voice laced with sarcasm. She just rolled her eyes and sat next to me. Glancing from the corner of my eye, I saw the triplets chuckling. Then I saw past them and paled. A girl leaned on a lamp post, her arms crossed, her face disapproving. I needed to get away, fast. "Brynn?"

"Yeah?"

"If someone robs the Brighvale bank later today…don't arrest them!" I said as a good-bye before running away. She opened her mouth to protest, but probably thought better of it and just sat back down, looking grumpy. I made my way back to the triplets.

"That was hilarious, Hanso," Rosaline gushed. Romeo and Mercutio nodded.

"But very, very foolish," said another voice wryly. Kayley stepped out of the shadows and put her hands on her hips.

Romeo raised his eyebrows. "You're the girl who doesn't show up the class."

"Yeah. What's it to you?"

He seemed taken aback by her hostile tone. "Uh, nothing really. But since you're here, does that mean you're going to come back?"

"Definitely not. I only came here now because you're not goring each other." She looked at me. "Can I have a word?"

"Sure."

"What were you doing?" she asked once we were out of earshot.

"What do you mean?"

"You know I'm usually the last person to defend prissy miss guard girl, but showing off that you're friends with her? Really, Hanso? I expected better form you."

I flushed. "I wasn't doing anything wrong."

"Yes, you were. And since you are an immature preteen boy that wanted to impress his crush, I'll forgive you. But listen carefully to me, Hanso. If you ever showed off that we were…allies," she said, before the word 'friend' could slip out, "I'd have strangled you and never have trusted you again. Just think for a moment how that guard girl would feel." I frowned. "You don't have to show off to flower-girl, Hanso. If she really likes you, she won't ask you to do that."

"She didn't."

"Good. By the way, even if you don't think my opinion is important enough, at least consider Juliet's. Beside the fact that flower-girl over there is her sworn enemy, she'd have been really disappointed in you anyway."

And with that, Kayley vanished, leaving me with guilt churning at the pit of my stomach.

I resolved showing off my awesome thieving skills would do, next time.

Week 3

"Long time no see," said the little kid stiffly when he saw me. His arms were crossed, his face pouty.

"Aw, come on, Timmy," I groaned. "Haven't you heard of all the craziness?" We were walking randomly around the kingdom, away from the square. I felt a teeny bit guilty about the whole thing. Earlier this morning, it just occurred to me that they didn't really match us up with the little any more. I knew Kayley was still visiting Lilia a lot, but with all my problems, I sort of forgot Tiny Tim.

"Yeah," he admitted. "Are you _w_eally a wich kid?" For a moment, he looked almost angry with himself. "I mean, really a rich kid?"

"I don't know," I sighed. "I hope not. That means I can't be a thief anymore."

"Would that really be such a bad thing?" he asked.

I blinked. "What?"

He covered his mouth, as if thinking he said something bad. "Um, nothing. Sowwy. I mean, sorry. Uh, does that mean I can go to the swing without getting knwocked – knocked – out of it again?"

I smirked. "If I remember right, you're the one who knocked Ebony out."

"What?" said a surprised voice. I looked up, and I realized we wandered near the stall which sells spare parts for mechanics in the marketplace. A red Wocky girl around Ebony's age or maybe a little older stood there, her outfit covered with an apron covered in pockets and her long, brown hair tied up in a slightly askew ponytail. I frowned, wondering what a rich girl like Ivy was doing around these parts. "Did I just hear you right? _You're _the kid that knocked down Ebony?"

"Uh-huh," Timmy said nervously.

She grinned. "Want an ice-cream, kid? I gotta pay you back for that. The look of rage in his face lasted for _weeks _afterwards." He grinned excitedly, and she bought him a huge chocolate fudge sundae. I was inwardly impressed. "Hey, we're not all mean to little kids," she said in a superior tone when she caught me staring. "And if you're wondering why I'm dressed like this, well, these are my tinkering clothes. "

"What's twinkering?" Timmy asked curiously.

She huffed, as if she couldn't believe anyone could _not _know the definition of the word. "Tinkering, little boy, is messing around with mechanical stuff." As an example, she grabbed a nearby watch from a stall, grabbed a tool from her pocket, screwed something, and suddenly the arms went wild. The shopkeeper snatched the watch back and looked about ready to yell at her, but a few gold coins from Ivy kept her quiet. "Of course, some might define it 'fixing,' but it wouldn't be fun if that's all I ever did."

"Interesting," I said appreciatively. "And I thought being a rich kid would be boring."

Her face darkened. "It is. If you don't know how to morph your face in to a mask, you're dead. Wouldn't recommend it for you, kid. You're like an open book, and according to Charles dear, you can't lie."

"The traitor!" I cried, grinning slightly.

"Nah. I weaselled it out of him. I'm good at that." She jutted her chin up. "But we're not all like that. Especially not our little group that you saw a week before. _We _don't want to be fussed-over dolls forever—I definitely don't. And it's not fair that our families could choose who we're married to—or whom we're friends with, because, you know, sometimes we can't control whom we like…" And suddenly she realized she was babbling. "Sorry."

"Wou have a fwiend you can't see," Timmy observed. Then he got angry with himself again and said it in the correct way.

"Smart kid, though I'm definitely not going to tell you."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Ebony's right. You _are _nosy." She shrugged. "Anyway, we're all different. That's why we made Rule Number One in the first place, you know."

"And what's Rule Number One?" I asked.

She smirked. "Stick with us long enough, and you'll find out." Then she disappeared in to the crowd.

Week 4

Still haven't found what Rule Number One is, but I _have _learned an important chess technique.

It's weird. I find myself hanging more and more in Uptown, bugging Charlie, Harley, and sometimes his visiting sister Willow (who, I learned, are much more patient than Ivy in being bugged, especially if she's in a project) about any hints that might make it possible to leave it. Part of it wasn't really my fault. My mom usually dragged me along when she went off to argue with Grandmother.

Ebony sometimes showed up, too, but he hasn't helped at all. "Kind of a pity, really," Harley once told me in one of those arguing-with-Grandmother visits. "If you actually got him to help, he'd be quite a strategist."

"Right. Except I'm still mad at him about the fire in Charlie's house, and it won't help."

Charlie looked up. "I'm quite over the fire, thank you Hanso. It was a very long time ago, and I don't think it would be wise to have rifts between possible allies right now."

"He gave you a lasting heart disease which couldn't let you get in to the Guard."

He arched an eyebrow. "They wouldn't have left me in anyway. Even before, I was rather sickly, although Mrs Daley always managed to cure me of whatever it was. Heart diseases don't grow from scratch, Hanso. It's possible that it was already there, and the doctor only detected it while he was examining me after the fire. It's even possible that that might have saved my life." I stared at him. "Well, maybe not. The fire _could _have triggered something bad-"

"Ah-ha! It's still his fault!" I glared at said fire-starter, who was watching amusedly. "You aren't even sorry for it."

"No, I can't say I am. It was rather fun, watching Charlie's place go up in flames."

"Say that when Emerald's within earshot," Harley dared him.

"Never mind. But seriously, I knew he'd get out."

"He was in the second floor!" I snapped.

"Yes. Next to an open window, if you recall. I suppose you _didn't _see the very soft bushes he could have landed in? No, you just had to go to another room and jump over _there._"

I nearly choked on that, struggling on a better comeback. "Well…how was he supposed to jump if he fainted?"

That got him surprised. "You fainted?" Ebony asked. Charlie nodded. "I didn't expect _that. _Okay, I apologize for not taking that possibility in to account. Happy?" I shook my head resolutely. "Didn't think so—not that I needed your approval at all. But I was a murderous thirteen-year-old boy, and rather upset about some news that year. Plus, I was surrounded by all kinds of horrible influence of that gang I used to lead."

"Used to?" I asked.

"Well, of course. You didn't think I'd stick with those idiots forever, did you? I'm _sixteen. _In no time, I'll be eighteen. Might as well spend the next two years of freedom in more favourable company before I'm thrust with someone I can't bear."

"You don't know that," Harley said.

"Yes, I do," he said grumpily. "Mothers choose their sons' betrothed, remember? Father will force her to choose someone high-ranking, but she'll try to make it as unbearable as she can."

"That doesn't sound like her," I pointed out.

"You don't know my mother," he snapped. "The last time your mum probably met her was, what, when she was eighteen, give or take a year? Yes, she might act all meek Lady Honey Adonai, but she's devious under that sweet smile and curtsies."

"Like you," said Harley quietly.

Ebony fixed him with a glare. "No," he said, in a cold tone. "_Not _like me. _At all._"

"If she's so devious," I asked, "Why hasn't she helped me with my problem yet?"

"She will, once all the pieces are on the board," he said carelessly. "She'll go all 'mastermind' in the middle of it, I'm sure."

I frowned. "Wait? Pieces on the board?"

"She suspects that they haven't brought their most powerful weapon in yet. Once they do, she'll start helping."

"Uh-huh. So what is this powerful weapon?"

That's when we heard the doorbell.

"We weren't expecting guests," Charlie told us. "Od. It's very unusual to call on someone uninvited, unless it's a casual thing." He stood up. "I better go and get it. My parents certainly won't."

"And I guess that'll all the boring stuff I can take today," Ebony said dryly. "I'll come with you."

"If you hate listening to us so much, why do you have to tag along?" Harley asked. "All you do is just irritate us."

"Exactly."

"Why is it that all the people I'm related with are insufferable?" Harley asked the sky. "Ah, well. It's getting late, anyway. I should probably get going; and your mom's probably done arguing with your grandmother too, Hanso."

"She'll be in a bad mood on the way back home, then," I said glumly. She cheers up when she sees dad – neither of us are over the delight that he's alive – but on the way home she just rants and rants. I love my mom, but sometimes it's kind of annoying.

"You should hear Grandmother. I can't even _laugh _without someone saying it's too noisy," Charlie complained. Then he put on his most welcoming face and opened the door. "Hello," he said cheerfully. A Nimmo with slick black hair and calculating green eyes stood on the doorstep, his hands clasped behind his back. He looked oddly familiar. He probably thought the same, because he peered at me with a weird expression on his face. "May I help you?"

"Is this the Windsor House?" he asked. His tone was polished, confident, and friendly.

"Yes. I'm Charles Windsor," Charlie introduced himself. "Uh, are you looking for my parents? They're, ah, in the middle of something."

He smiled faintly. "No, I'm not looking for them. I'm looking for-" He hesitated. "Any chance you might have other family around?"

"No…are you trying to find my second cousin's twice removed family? They're also called Windsor. His name if Albert Windsor, and his son's in the Guard."

"You can tell them by his tone he's hoping for the guy to punish Harry," Harley whispered. I chuckled.

"No." The guy seemed really disappointed. "Are you sure you don't have any other family here? Any?"

Charlie and I glanced at each other. I didn't know what, but something made me feel a little uneasy about this. "That depends," said Charlie carefully. "We don't like letting strangers in personal matters. Who are you and what's your business with us?"

"My name is Simon Banks," he said. My eyes widened. "And-"

"This is horrible! They're as awful as I remember," came my mom's angered voice. "You're ready to go, right, sweetheart? I cannot _wait _to go home. Mind if we just get some dinner out for tonight? I can't stand cooking right now-"

She froze when she saw who was standing in the doorway.

Simon Banks finished with a smile. "-And I've come to see my betrothed."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I figured Hanso would act a little weird in front of his crushes, if you guys are a little confused about week 2. While Brynn gets jealous (as shown in BD), Hanso will get a little show-offy and arrogant. **


	52. March at Age 11

**A/N: Cliffhangers are awesome. I'm making it a goal to add one at the end of each chapter except for the finale. :D By the way, next chapter is an interlude. I think you can guess what it is by the end of it.**

**Recap, in case you forgot who Simon is (he was from like five chapters ago): He was Lizzie's dance partner in the Academy that had a crush on her. Her parents trying to betroth her to him was the final straw, and she ran away from home. **

The Month of Running (March) Age 11

Week 1

Me being a rich kid—it's gone too far to treat it casually, anymore. Something has to be done. _Soon._

Last week, my mom just stared at Simon Banks with her mouth gaping. She couldn't seem to say anything. Smoothly, he stepped forward with a sly little smile on his face and bowed. "Elizabeth Windsor," he said pleasantly. "Delightful to see you again, after so many years; and looking as beautiful as ever. I've been waiting _forever _to see you again."

"I'm sure you have." Mom finally found her voice and was glaring at him. "What are you doing here, Simon? Aren't you supposed to be in Meridell?"

He laughed. "Oh, come on, Liz. I think we both agree that the place made us both miserable—you don't think I wouldn't have left there the moment I had a chance? You certainly did. No, I haven't been there in ages."

"So you live here now?" she said flatly.

"Nope. If I did, I would've gone to see you a lot sooner." He grinned at her. "As soon as I had the chance, I ran away to a different kingdom. My parents were livid and tried to cut me off—but I did well for myself anyway. I even work in the royal court, just like I wanted, remember?"

"I'm glad of that," she said. There was a note of sincerity in her voice, but it was blocked out mostly by impatience. "You still haven't told me what you're doing here."

He tilted his head. "What kind of person I'd be if I let you get away from me again, Miss Windsor?"

She took a step back. "Aren't you already supposed to be married?" she asked him.

"Widowed," he replied. "The lady I married was quite sickly. She died a few months after our marriage, and she gave me no children. I was not obligated to wed again."

Behind me, Harley whistled appreciatively. "One of the few ways a person can be free."

"Indeed." Simon smiled. "I have been very, very lucky in many cases—without my dear witch of a mother to torment me, doing a job I love, and being free….to come back for you."

"That's creepy on so many levels," I muttered.

The guy shot me a disdainful look. "And what would a child like you know about love?" I had no answer to give him. "Who are you, anyway?"

"My son," Mom said, snatching a chance to escape. "You're too late, Simon. I'm already-"

"Married?" Simon asked. He chuckled. "I did take that to account, Lizzie dear. In a way, I'm glad of it." She gaped at him again. "Especially," he said, with a small smirk on his face, "how convenient the date of the wedding was. You did it on your birthday, did you not? Even with the ribbons and stuff, probably." Mom nodded, looking like she wanted to curse her stupidity. "Brilliant, because in that case-"

"You're leaving," said another voice stiffly.

Simon arched an eyebrow. "Grace? Well, I haven't seen you in quite a long time, either. How've you been?"

"Cut it out with the pleasantries, Banks," she snapped. I couldn't help being shocked. This was the first time out of the flashbacks and when we met up with her in the market that she truly acted like _Grace_. "You may have been invited by Lizzie's mother, but you're not welcome here. Out!"

"Excuse me?" he said, a bit miffed. "It's not your house either, you know."

"She's right," Mom said. "You're not welcome."

"Right," Charlie confirmed.

"You're not going to win this game, Grace," he warned her. He smiled, sardonically this time. "I think we both know it's not Lizzie I'm competing with—she has many talents, but last I remember playing the game isn't one of them."

"You know I'm not just going to take your word for it," she hissed.

"Always sticking up for your friends." He shook his head. "Even against all odds. An trait, but one that's not going to help you right now." He examined her thoughtfully. "Just because I found your last stand admirable – though foolhardy – I'll give you a head-start. I'll come again around next month. You have until then to prepare…or decide to surrender."

"Never," Mom snapped.

He sighed. "I did hope you wouldn't make this difficult, Lizzie. You a_re _going to come with me eventually, you know."

"Keep dreaming," she said disgustedly. "I love my family."

"Exactly." Before she could ask what he meant by that, he bowed and swept out.

* * *

><p>"This is <em>not <em>good," Grace said, pacing. She _was_ Grace, this time—not Lady Adonai, not Honey. Black was on one of his business trips again. We were at her house, in that lavish living-room with the creepy portraits, but I didn't mind it so much; there were other things to worry about. Charlie, Ivy, and Harley had to go home, but Ebony was still there. He was perched on a chair, quiet for once, but with a small grin on his face like he was watching a very entertaining show. I wanted to hit him. This is my _life_, for Fyora's sake. "I knew they'd send _someone _as the final chess piece, but I didn't think it would be him—well, I did, but I _prayed _it wouldn't be him…."

"Why?" Mom asked. She was in a bit of a foul temper. "He's still that same boy who had a crush on me in school."

Grace shook her head hurriedly. "No, Liz. You don't understand. He _is _different. He _has _done well for himself, and through his own wits, too. He's become a better chess player than maybe even me."

"How's that even possible?"

"He does it for a living," Grace replied wryly. "Haven't you been listening? He's lives in court, and I know he has one of the highest positions. There's been talk that he might even become Lord Chancellor next year, if he gains his monarch's favour, though that might not be possible because-" She shook her head. "That's not important. But what I've got to emphasize to you, Lizzie, is that he's dangerous, now. You can't see him as that quivering dark-haired guy from the Academy. He's ruthless, he's devious, and he's a very good chess player."

"I get it," Mom huffed. "Still, even if he is those things, I can't see what he could do to me. I'm married. I broke the Tradition."

"No, you didn't," Grace said. "Not really, anyway. Rules say you're supposed to be married by your twenty-second birthday, right? You _did_ get married by your twenty-second birthday. But technically, you were betrothed to Simon. Yes, you were," she said to Mom's shocked face. "Your parents did it by proxy with your mother. I found that out later. If you had stayed even one more day, you'd have already been married to him." She closed her eyes. "I can't see his plan yet, though. You w_ere _betrothed to him—technically, you still are—but you _are _also married."

"He'll fix that, then," Ebony muttered.

Grace's head shot up. "What?"

He smirked. "It's nothing, Mother. I'm being quiet now."

"Ebony, if you have something to say, spit it out."

He hesitated, probably debating with himself, and then shrugged. "He could ask for an annulment. It's really rare, I know, but you said he had a King's ear, right? And the King's word trumps all. You'd have to agree to it first, though," he said, nodding to my mom.

"And why would I do that?" Mom wondered out loud.

For a moment, Ebony and Grace glanced at each other, and understanding flashed in their eyes. Grace groaned. "Because it's a solution to most of your problems," she said. "If you didn't technically break the Tradition, you're still eligible. Annulment of the marriage won't change that, I think. If you do it, Hanso will be declared illegitimate—he's not going to be able to inherit the properties or have to abide by our rules. He wouldn't have to be a rich kid anymore. But…"

"But I'd have to leave Peter," Mom finished. "And marry Simon. Oh, Fyora."

"Mom!" I exclaimed. "You aren't actually thinking of doing it, are you?"

"How can I _not _consider it? If I can't be free, at least you can. I refuse to let you go down with me if that's the case."

"Mom!" I repeated. "You can't do that. There _has _to be a better solution." I glared at them. "Help me with this!"

"Of course I will," Grace promised. "But, honestly, honey? I got nothing so far. I'll look through every possibility, but I can't guarantee anything."

"Ebony?" I asked.

He rolled his eyes. "If I would have agreed to help you, I would have done it in front of Em. You know my answer."

"Nice boy," Mom said sarcastically.

"I try," he replied.

"In that case," Grace said, turning to her son, "You're not to tell a word of this to your father."

"You can defend yourself, Mother. Vi and Haze aren't here anymore. What are you scared of?"

"Oh, please," she hissed. "Like you don't know he'll bring at least Hazel back when he gets a whiff of me abandoning the 'meek little slave/wife' act. At least Violet has some immunity." Like he had said before, she made no mention of him—and for a moment, I felt a little sorry for the guy.

"Uh-huh," he said dryly. "And if I don't?"

"If you don't, you're father isn't here all the time, and I know a number of ways to make this place a living hell for you."

"Grace!" Mom exclaimed, shocked. Even I thought she was taking it a bit too far.

"I have to get my point across, Liz," Grace snapped. "It's nice that your son isn't like that—but mine's just like his father. You have to drop your anvil in _hard _for him to get it."

"Said son is standing right here." Ebony scowled. "And whatever I am, Mother, it certainly is not stupid."

"So you won't tell your father?"

"I won't. Not because I'm scared of your threats," he added. "Because I'm curious to see how this would all work out."

"Don't sabotage anything, either."

"Haven't I, as you put it, dropped the anvil already? I think I've already made it clear I'm not going to interfere. You can have your chess game, Mother. It might be interesting, but I'm not going to play, especially not on your side." For a moment, the two Adonais glared at each other. Then Grace rolled her eyes and looked away. I almost wanted to say something about that. I mean, there are times my mom and I don't get along, but there was no such instance that she ever treated me like that. It was too awkward, though—I didn't really know either of them. And I doubted they would appreciate it.

Finally, Mom broke the silence by sighing. "Peter will be starting to get worried—we'd better go home now," she said. "We have a lot to tell him."

* * *

><p>For his part, Dad took it pretty well. He just looked at us silently as we finished, and then sighed. "We can't even beat up this Simon guy, can we, huh?" he said to Mom. "Because he could be Hanso's only hope in escaping this entire darn thing."<p>

"This is all my fault," Mom said softly.

"Oh, Liz, I didn't mean it like that-"

"But it _is. _If I hadn't gotten all desperate and strode up to Uptown—"

"They would've found out eventually, Lizzie," Dad said quietly. "We always knew this couldn't remain a secret forever. Hanso would've eventually stumbled in to it accidentally, and we always agreed to tell him. If he was older, then they might have argued that him being in ignorance in who he is would excuse him from passing the Tradition's time limit, and he would've had to have gotten married right away. At least now we have time to prepare-"

"Prepare for what?" I asked. "Don't I have a say in this? I do _not _want to be related to Simon!"

"Neither do I want to be with him," she stated. They shared a look. "But if it's the only way to save-"

"No!" I shrieked. "That's not an option. That _can't _be an option. There has to be a better way."

"Not all choices have a third option," Mom said. "Once, I had to choose between marrying a guy who had a crush on me against my will, or leaving everything I've ever known. I chose the latter, and while I'd never regret it…the experience was still truly painful for me."

"I wish you'd just tell me about it," I muttered. "Tell me anything that could give me a hint. I've gotten out of a lot of other things before."

"You wouldn't understand, Hanso. You're just a child."

"I'm a thief's child," I countered. "I've faced loads of other things you didn't when you were a kid-"

"There you are. Stereotyping again."

"But Mom-"

"I have to think, Hanso." She looked weary and tired. "I won't rush in to things—I'll give you my word on that. But no matter what, we don't want you to endure what I did."

"Dad?" I pleaded, but at once I could see no help from him. He had a sad, sad look in his eyes, like a guy who had been having a wonderful dream suddenly waking up to a harsh and cold reality. I closed my eyes, trying to find a way out of this. The one thing I knew for sure was that I needed to see how Mom got out of the Tradition in the first place (sort of). Maybe they had their wedding day on a different date, or they didn't do some ritual. I couldn't do that if Mom didn't tell me and Marie's crystal ball broke-

Then I remembered. The necklace.

The one that Kayley gave back to me on New Year's.

The one that would kill her if it broke, I realized with a shudder. I'd taken to carrying it everywhere. You might think that dangerous, and you would be right, but it was a lot better than keeping it my house. Take it from a thief. We're not above from stealing each other. At least while I put it on myself, I could keep an eye on it and make sure no one ships it off to the Mystery Island volcano. For such a powerful thing, it was so fragile.

But I still needed someone's permission with their memories. I studied my parents, thinking. "You don't want to talk about it because it's too painful," I concluded. Mom seemed to want to object, but her shoulders slumped in defeat and she simply nodded. "If I can find a way to see what happened, you'd let me, won't you? It won't involve you having to tell me anything." Again, she nodded slowly. "And Dad?"

"Does that mean you're going to interview people or something?" he asked.

"No." I bit my lip. "I have my own way of finding out information."

A small smirk came up to his face. "Snooping skills, ya mean," he said. "Sure, Hanso. Just be careful of all the secrets you find out—knowledge is power, and power is hardly ever safe."

Week 2

The good news? I managed not to get my brain fried. The bad news? Kayley still hasn't returned to class, and I couldn't find anyone else who could help me control that stupid necklace. I wish she told me how to use it before she went. The full moon is already waning, and I'm not going to get a chance to try the thing out again until next month. A part of me thought that I might be able to ask Bridgette or Tyler, but I had a feeling that Kayley would be very, very angry if I showed this to either of them.

Either way, I was stuck, unless I could find another way to see Miss Incognito—highly unlikely, since I hadn't seen her since I showed off last month.

Something did happen, though. A glimmer of a solution to the rich kid problem, despite a lot of people's doubt that it would work. I found out about this happy possibility when I was, once again, ambushed in Uptown.

"So, this is how you say hello in the Lost Desert?" I asked nervously.

Rosaline was smirking, pointing her dagger at me as she backed me against the wall. "Nope. But it is very fun, do you not think?" She grinned.

"Where're you off to, anyway?" Romeo asked. "We haven't seen you in a while, either."

"Rosaline," Mercutio said, with a small twinkle in his eye. "Stalking." Two words, but probably anyone could have worked out what it meant. For his trouble, Rosaline gave him a swift kick in the shins, and then gave me a sweet smile.

"He is joking," she promised. Lie. I couldn't help but chuckle. "What are you doing here?" she asked, gesturing to our beautiful surroundings. "I would have thought only the privileged people would be allowed to come to these parts." She frowned. "Are the rumours true, then? Are you really a rich kid?"

"Uh, I, um, don't really know."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Romeo asked curiously.

"It's complicated," I explained. "My mom might have done the Tradition-"

"What is the Tradition?" Rosaline inquired.

"Ah, the question of innocence!" a voice called over. "If only I could hear the question more, I'd be a happy guy."

"Hi Harley," I said, waving. "Mind if you tell them what it's about?"

"And disillusion them? Ebony would be better suited for that—says he enjoys the expressions of shock outsiders get when they realize our lives aren't so perfect after all. Of course," he said with a smirk, "Master Adonai is very busy at the moment."

"Busy?" I was immediately suspicious. I didn't trust Ebony's word that he wouldn't sabotage my chance of not becoming a rich kid. "Busy how?"

"You'll see." He gave a nod to the triplets, and then started towards the Adonai mansion.

"Are all rich kids that friendly?" Romeo wondered out loud.

"Surprising, huh?" I remarked. "I used to think of them as spoilt brats, but Charlie and Hazel were really nice for me. And now…I don't know. A lot of them are pretty nice, too. Snobby, but generally friendly, if they didn't declare war on you."

"Huh?" Mercutio said questioningly.

"Oh, Ebony has a grudge against me for trying to get Timmy on the swing. Long story," I told them. They simply nodded, as if they knew they didn't want to know, and we followed Harley. To my surprise, we didn't even have to go inside to find him. He was outside – not wearing the business suit get-up by choice, if you can believe it – as he cleaned up the windows. Even more shocking was his expression. Instead of being angry or anything, his face was more amused than anything.

"Mother," he replied, before I asked. He dipped a rag in the bucket and began wiping the glass. "Father's on a business trip again and can't rescue me. He doesn't even know I'm being treated this way."

"Why don't you write to him, then?" I asked.

"What, and lose the game by default?" he said rhetorically. I stared at him, and he sighed. "It's been war these past few days; a competition to see who gets to rule the house. Mother's housework has doubled since neither of my sisters is here to help out, and since Hazel's gone she doesn't have to act like a willing slave anymore. And since I'm the nearest target, she's trying to get me to do half of it."

"That does not sound so bad," Rosaline commented. "You already know how to do housework, it seems." I blinked; she was right. He seemed to know what he was doing, instead of fumbling over what to do like I thought a rich kid would. Mom would probably call it stereotyping again.

He smirked. "Who do you thought helped my mother before Violet was born?" he asked. "Anyway, it's not about whether the work is hard or not. It's simply who gets to win."

"You don't seem to be trying too hard," Harley said.

"Oh, contraire," Ebony chuckled. "Dearest Mother is taking a shower right now, which means she'll be receiving her unpleasant surprise in five…four…three…two…."

A scream.

Ebony grinned, and then innocently kept doing his work. A few minutes later, Grace went outside wearing a bathrobe, slippers, and a very angry expression. Her son pretended not to notice, even when she was standing over him with her hands on her hips. A slow chuckle came out of my throat. Before I knew it, everyone, including me, was doubled over laughing. I tried to stop myself. Honestly. But when I finally start to get back my composure, I get a glimpse of her again and just start guffawing maniacally.

Lady Grace's hair was a vivid, vibrant shade of green.

"Oh, hello, Mother," her son said sweetly. "New hairstyle? I like it."

"Don't give me that snark, Ebony."

"No, I mean it, Mother. I rather like the colour green." He winked at us. "As we all know."

"You dyed my hair!" She used the same tone as others probably would when they said _"You murdered someone!"_

"Of course I didn't—I was here the entire time. Even Hanso here can attest to that," he replied cheekily. "If you just _happened _to grab the green dye I bought and it just _happened _to be in the place where you put your shampoo, it isn't my fault. You really should have taken more care, Mother."

"You little-" She couldn't even finish the thought.

"What're you going to do? Throw more housework at me?" With that, he gave the windows a final swipe. I have to admit, he did an awfully good job on it; maybe even better than Hazel, since he could actually reach the panes without needing a ladder. "You showed me all the shortcuts a long time ago. Or are you planning to call Father?" She scowled at him.

Again, they had their little glaring match. Another test of wills. Finally, Grace sighed and shook her head. "When is this going to wash off?"

"It's permanent," Ebony said with a straight face, and then burst out laughing at Grace's look of utter horror. "I'm kidding. Really! It'll wash out in the next week or so. Guaranteed."

"It better," Grace said through gritted teeth. "For your sake."

"I could do the groceries," he offered.

"Are you pitying me?" she spat.

"Why would you say so?"

"You never did this when Hazel was around."

"Ah, but you're no fun then. Or do you want to admit entire defeat? Here's a deal. I clean up after myself – meals included and all – and do the groceries, and all you have to do is do the same for yourself. Take it or leave it, Mother."

"And why would you make such a generous offer?" she asked, her voice laced in sarcasm.

"Can't I be gracious in victory? Besides, I'm bored."

"Not much to do without Hazel to throw in the shed?"

"Not much to do even when she's here. Take it or leave it, Mother," he repeated.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. But don't think the war's over yet." She stomped back in to the house.

"And I thought you had bigger things to worry about!" he called after her. She waved away his remark. He chuckled. "Well, this is the most fun she's been in years."

"Who's fun?" a voice asked. It was Ivy, striding down the sidewalk. "Heard Hanso here was in the neighbourhood with his friends," she said carelessly. "Might as well make good in the promise we made to Em."

"Aunt Honey," Harley replied.

"Aunt Honey?" she exclaimed. "She's as dull as butter on toast."

"She is," Ebony agreed. "Grace, however, is completely different."

Ivy grinned. "She's back? Does that mean you'll be worshipping the ground she walks on again?"

"Unlikely."

"Figured," Ivy said. "What are you all gathering for?"

"These innocent little children," Harley said, gesturing to the taken aback triplets, "Have not heard of the Tradition yet. I'm asking Ebony to tell them about it."

"Aye," Ebony said in a sing-song voice, like a storyteller would use. "'Tis a most unfortunate curse, put on us by stupid prince who wanted to marry a commoner a long, long time ago." He began telling them the details, and we spent the better part of an hour entranced with the tale. He got a lot of things right; I guess the story has been passed down for a long time. Momentarily, I wondered who would have told this to him. Grace, maybe? But he couldn't have all the details. No one but me knew who really started the awful old thing. "And so," he finished, "Rich kids are now forever doomed to marry who their parents want to."

"Why can you not simply say no at the betrothal?" Rosaline asked.

He chuckled. "You think that didn't occur to a few of us in the past? That just resulted to betrothal by proxy. Parents would appoint someone to represent you and they would seal the betrothal while you're locked up in your room or something."

"It's even worse for girls," Ivy muttered. "The parents don't even ask for permission. Sometimes, you don't even know you're betrothed until they tell you right before the wedding."

"It's the same for boys if you used up your three refusals," Harley supplemented.

"You're lives are pretty awful," Romeo commented. "I think I'd prefer to being a thief instead of one of you."

"That makes us feel so much better."

"And it's not the Tradition that's only annoying," Ivy complained. "There are other rules, too. How girls are supposed to be girly, meek little slaves, how guys are supposed to be strong and powerful, blah blah blah. It's not a problem for people who can _act_, like Emerald and Ebony. But I for one _loathe_ doing it." Rosaline nodded in sympathy. "But the Tradition is our biggest problem. If you ask me, it's a system to keep us under control before we're fully grown up and could do something about all the other stuff. Look at Grace," she said.

"Dear Mother used to be quite the rebel," Ebony agreed. "Still is, as you've seen. But she can only do it whilst hidden, or my precious sisters will get hurt. Anyway, my maternal grandparents were…concerned by her behaviour. Took her straight to the Academy, but that _still _didn't break her. So, while she was there, they betrothed her by proxy to the most awful, domineering man they knew: My father."

"I thought you liked you father," I said. He ignored me.

"Eventually, she became the servant she is today, but that's not a unique story. For every person willing to stand up and protest, there's a strictly traditional person willing to put them in their place, and they're all usually matched up, and there's nothing we can do about it."

"Emerald doesn't believe that," Ivy said.

"Emerald is Emerald; clever, suave, and strategic, but not always good with people and a little naïve at times."

"You don't believe that," Ivy pressed.

He paused, but shrugged. "If you think a problem is impossible, it will be so. If this one isn't impossible, though, then it's pretty damn close."

"Makes me kind of wish for those old stories our mothers told us about," Harley said wistfully. "You know, when this faerie godmother appeared and granted you whatever you desired." Rosaline stiffened. "I know it's silly – like the faeries would ever do _that _for someone – but still."

"Not so impossible," Rosaline murmured. They turned to look at her questioningly. "In the Desert, we have a legend – in fact, I have even heard legends about her here – about a wandering traveller who would grant wishes to those who can catch her. But those wishes often came with…with a price."

Ebony frowned doubtfully, but the rest of the rich kids leaned forward, eager to hear what she had to say. "Go on," Ivy pressed.

"Well, the legend says you have to catch her first. You know her for her dark beauty—the kind that you cannot help but stare in fascination, but something you know that you would not like to get close to, perhaps as a poisoned rose or a jewelled dagger. I am not really sure what it means, actually. They say that this lady was a victim of a curse. For her beauty, she is bound to use the power that made her like that to grant wishes."

"What?" I asked, puzzled. "Why would anyone want that kind of beauty?"

"She did not want it," Rosaline replied. "She wanted the natural kind of beauty—the one she already possessed, but was too vain to see. She wanted to be the best. The hardest part, they say, is not catching her, but getting what you want. The lady had her revenge against the power in the end. She was supposed to grant good souls wishes for a price, but she made it so that every blessing was a curse and that the price was always too hard for almost anyone to ever pay."

"That's crazy! Why would this mysterious power give her so much magic?"

Rosaline shrugged. "They seem to be bound to each other, now. I am not sure. The legend is very fuzzy."

"What's the name of this legend, anyway? I thought you guys kept talking about genies in bottles or whatever," Ebony commented.

Mercutio glared at him. "Lies. We fear djinn."

"That was a full sentence!" Rosaline praised her brother. He stuck his tongue out at her. "The name of the legend, the name of the lady, is-"

"Vira," Ivy finished. She had a thoughtful expression on her face. "Why didn't I see it before?"

Rosaline raised her eyebrows. "You have heard of her?"

"Yep." She didn't look happy. "Making a deal with Vira would be close to suicide—way too risky to get a good deal out of her. I'd put more faith that someone in this miserable neighbourhood would do something about it than a person having a chance on making the Tradition go away with a deal with Vira."

"And she has very, very little faith on the people of the neighbourhood," Harley informed us.

I jumped up. "But if this is the only chance that I can get out of this-"

"It's not your only chance," Ebony interrupted. "Ever problem has a solution you can solve with your own head. You just have to think of it."

"Yeah, that and Vira will trick the heck out of you," Ivy said. She shook her head at Rosaline. "Sorry, kid. It's best to just let this go."

I frowned at her suspiciously. "You seem to have known her yourself."

"Who? Vira?" Ivy asked. "Oh, no. I'd probably be dead if that was the case."

"Then how do you know she's so dangerous?"

"Because, little brat, one of my…acquaintances, I suppose, has been one of her victims."

Harley looked on guard. "Not Aves?"

Ivy stared at him. "No!"

"Good," said her brother, relieved.

"Who's Aves?" I asked.

"No one important," Harley said hastily. "But if it isn't, um, You-Know-Who, then there's a very limited number of people who it could be."

"I could call her, if you want," Ivy suggested. "I'm not sure if she'd even answer. I mean, the only reason we even talked is 'cause I found out about her little secret. But I think she'll come, if the alternative is me revealing it."

"Of course," said Harley sarcastically. "The best way you get your friends to come over. Blackmail!"

She grinned at him. "Well, Emmy did say we should help Hanso out. Might as well do it now."

Week 3

Romeo and Mercutio had decided they had had enough of Uptown and decided to trust Rosaline to not get into trouble on her own. Being alone would her would have been uncomfortable enough – I liked her a lot, really, but I'm never sure what to say – when Juliet decided that she hasn't talked to me for far too long and decided to tag along, too. Secretly, I think they were both hoping that the other would leave. I hoped that Julius would help out, but he just laughed when I asked if he was coming with. "Nah. The only reason I go there is to look after my little sis….but with Rosy, you're both as safe as can be."

"What, you think I would protect little Juliet if worst came to worst?" Rosaline said angrily.

"Yep."

"You presumptuous little-"

"Come on, Rosaline," I said, grabbing her arm. "We better go."

"The nerve of him!" she hissed as we walked along the road. "He expects me to take care of his baby sibling when he's too lazy to do it."

"That's my brother you're talking about," Juliet said with a warning tone.

"Thank you for stating the obvious," Rosaline snapped. "Can you tell me something I don't know? Like why, for some reason, are you suddenly stalking us?"

"Stalking you guys? Please!" Juliet snarled. "Hanso is my _friend. _I went with him all the time."

"Sure you did."

"Are you implying something?"

"Of course not, Miss I-am-so-innocent! Of course you never lied, never framed anyone, never exaggerated but a trifle crime-"

"Trifle crime?" Juliet screeched. "You call _that _a trifle crime? What's a big crime, then? Murder? Genocide? Did you do that in the Lost Desert too?"

"Oh, look, we're here!" I said frantically, pulling the two out of their bickering.

"Took you long enough," Ivy commented when she saw me. "Oh, wow. You have t_wo _girlfriends, Hanso?" She smirked. "You're an even bigger playboy than Ebony!"

"Excuse me?" said the Usul himself. "Playboy?"

"Don't deny it, cousin. From thirteen onwards – maybe even before that –you've had girls at your feet Uncle Black would just point to some rich lady-to-be, order him to charm her, and it's done. It's rather disgusting, really," she assured us. "He has a new girl ever family gathering."

"And I never liked one of them."

"Except one," she sang. "We all know how partial you are to a certain shade of green."

"Yes," he snapped. "And I know how much you like birds!"

Ivy's smile instantly vanished. "Oh, that's low."

I had no idea what was going on. Juliet and Rosaline too looked confused on why they were discussing the colour green and birds. I coughed. "Um, isn't there someone I'm supposed to meet?"

"That would be me," a Petri girl replied, opening the door. She had short blonde hair tied in braids, but that wasn't enough to make her look young—on the contrary, she looked more grown-up than any of us here, with lipstick on her beak (no idea how that worked) and earrings clinging to her head. Her eyes were a startling shade of scarlet. She looked awfully familiar, but I knew I never met her before. However, she seemed to know me. "Wait a minute. Aren't you the kid who-?"

"Sasha!" I blurted out.

"I knew it," she hissed, turning to Ivy. "This is a trap."

Ivy looked blank. "You two know each other?"

"Yes!" I yelled. "She was working for Masila last year. She nearly got me killed!" I looked pointedly at Ebony. "She nearly got Hazel killed, too."

Slowly, recognition dawned in his face. "Oh, yeah. Hazel's nanny." Then he scowled. "You stole my watch!" I stared at him; he was more angrier about this than her killing his sister? "Oh," he said, noticing my glare. "And tried to kill Hazel, too."

"If I remember correctly, Master Adonai, you never cared what happened to your youngest sibling," she said in clipped tones. "I could even say you did more harm to her than I ever could, you being her brother and all."

He shrugged. "Just thought I'd give indignant anger a try."

"Doesn't suit you," said Ivy critically. "You're a lot scarier when you're coldly furious."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

"What am I doing here again?" she asked boredly.

"To help Hanso break his little rich kid problem," Juliet supplied helpfully.

Her eyebrows rose. "Seriously, Ivy? This is what you called me here? What use are my talents, then?"

"Plus, she'll probably just mess up everything," I added.

She turned to me, her eyes flashing. "Excuse me? I do not 'mess up.'"

"You underestimated Hazel once," I said stubbornly.

She waved that away. "A mistake. It hasn't happened since. If you recall, Masila fell _before _me; and _I _escaped."

"She escaped too," I said defensively. Then I realized I was defending Masila and promptly shut up.

She smirked triumphantly. "And just so you know, I never worked for Masila. We were partners."

"How did you end up working with the Mistress of Double-cross, then?" Juliet stepped up, wanting to defend me. Rosaline scowled, as if she was irritated that she didn't get to do it herself. "I thought anyone would take one look at her name and run at the opposite direction."

"Mistress Double-cross, as you called her, is actually a lot more trustworthy than she looks," she said wryly. "She paid well, too. Besides...it's funny what bonds fate can give us. We both share a connection to a certain person we both would probably rather not meet again." She smiled slightly. "When we learned what happened to each other, well, sympathy kinda kicked in and we ended up making a deal. I spy around the Guild and some guard girl's family. She gives me room, board, and money for the duration that I did it. Don't worry, though. I'm not so fond of her that I would break her out of jail." She shuddered.

"Jail isn't that bad," I commented.

"That's just the Brightvale Guard. Ever been in the dungeons of Meridell? Terror Mountain? The Lost Desert?"

"Yes," Rosaline said to the last one.

"We once saw the insides of a lock-up in Terror Mountain," Juliet said. "We were never jailed, but still."

"Bah! A bunch of worldly young twits, are you?" She shook her head. "A lock-up is very different from a jail, thank you very much. And I'm a free spirit. I loathe being enclosed in small spaces—I'd have to have quite a high opinion of you for me to go there willingly, and Masila never really came close. Now, what do you need me for?" She looked at us suspiciously. "More spying?"

"No," Ivy said. "We don't have need of your…special talents this time."

"What special talents?" Ebony asked.

With a groan, Sasha changed to the colour blue. Her beak turned in to a snout. Her body changed shape, growing taller and bigger. We all watched, horribly fascinated, until she turned in to a light-blue Zafara. Only her eyes did not change. "This, Master Adonai," she told him, "Is my special talent."

He stared at her, open-mouthed. "I can't believe I never suspected you were a shape-shifter. You were in my _house_!"

"Neither did your mother," she drawled. "Amazing, you two _such _renowned chess players you couldn't even notice an intruder in your house. Your sister did, though." Her voice had a venomous edge to it. "Lovely little Hazel." She shook her head disgustedly. "If you don't need me here for my powers, why did I receive that fancy invitation?" She glared at Ivy pointedly.

"No need to look so sulky," Ivy snapped. "We don't need your powers. We want to know how you got them."

Unexpectedly, she burst out laughing. "You kids? _You_? You want to go hunting for Vira?" She doubled up, shaking. "You? What do you guys have to ask for? Your lives are perfect!"

"Yeah, right," Ivy snarled, cutting her laughter short. "You might have observed us for a year, but you don't know what happens to us. How about the Tradition?"

"What, you get riches and money for following a few rules? Sign me up, then."

"Not traditions, you dolt," she snapped. "The Tradition."

"And what's that?"

"Ah, the question of innocence!" Harley exclaimed, and we couldn't help but laugh.

She scowled. "Are you mocking me, little master?" She made herself grow ten feet tall. His chuckling died. I couldn't blame him—it's intimidating to have a girl look down at you and know that she couldn't care less if you died. "Calling me innocent?" She huffed. "I've seen things in the world that you'd never dream of."

"I'm sure you did," he said weakly. "You can go shorter now."

Sasha smiled menacingly. "I don't think so—Ow!" She screamed.

Ivy had just stepped on her foot with a scowl on her face. "Hey! Only _I _get to intimidate my brother. Shorten up or I'll get my wrench and whack you." Sasha glowered at her, but she what was asked. "Look, the Tradition is not important now. What we need to know is how to make a deal with Vira."

"Simple," she said tonelessly. "Fine Vira. Catch her. Make a deal with her. Try not to get killed."

"You're forgetting something," Harley said. "How do we track her?"

"You're kidding me, right?" She looked around us. "Who are the rich kids here that has actually been out of the Medieval Lands?" No one put their hand up. "Thought so," she said smugly. "Listen to me, people. You are never going to track Vira. It took years and years and _years _for me to find her and catch her—and once it was over, I wished I never tried. It pretty much ruined my life. Every piece of magic comes with a price." For a moment, she looked at me, and I could've sworn her eyes darted to the stone that Kayley gave. Probably just my imagination.

"Right," Ebony said. "You've heard the woman. It's far too dangerous."

"Coward," Ivy muttered.

"Ivy, I'm saving our necks. What would _Aves _have to say if he heard that you're going to chase some random sorceress for a wish?"

She snickered and did an imitation of a guy's voice. _"Let me get this straight, Adonai. You went on a wild adventure to chase some crazy sorceress for the miniscule chance that she could break the Tradition….without ME?"_

"Perhaps Aves wasn't the best example."

"Yep. Why are you against this, anyway?"

"Because," he said through gritted teeth. "Magic and enchantments are _tools. _They're not even reliable ones, let alone the complete solution. When you're in a problem, the best weapon you've got is your head. Using magic to finish everything is…is…"

"Is what?"

"Cheating."

Ivy snorted. "Please. Like you've never cheated before."

"I might have made my way a little smoother in a few cases, but as such in the game. Everyone cheats. One false move will bring you back where you started. The point is that you can't rely so much on chancy stuff, like luck and magic. You have to use your own skills."

"That might not be possible," I told him. "Look, if this was a fight my dad could win it hands down-"

"Of course it's not a physical fight!" he snapped. "You're in Uptown, kid. You learn to use your head or you're doomed to a life of misery."

"I don't even want to _be_ in Uptown!"

"What's going on here?" said an irritated voice.

Sasha turned around and, for the second time, burst out laughing. "Oh, Fyora….Lady Adonai? Is that _you_? What did you do to your…?"

"It still hasn't washed off," she said, glaring at her son. Her hair wasn't as bad as last week, but it still had a noticeable tint on of green on it. She was carrying a plate of cookies, I noticed; she placed it on the table.

"Give it another week or so, Mother," he said with a grin. "We're discussing stuff about magic."

"Magic is cheating," Grace said in a slightly offended tone. "I thought I taught you better than that."

He spread out his hands. "See what I mean? Something Mother and I finally agree on!" Grace just shook her head in confusion and backed out of the room. "If you ask me," he said, absent-mindedly putting a cookie in his mouth. "I think da whole thin ith uthelly rid-ik-ku-lus!

"What?" Ivy asked him.

He frowned. "I thaid da-" He suddenly realized that he wasn't speaking properly. He opened his mouth, and we found the cause—his tongue had swelled three times its size. Instantly, we knew who did it. "NUTHER!"

An evil laugh echoed from the hallway. "It'll only last for a day or two, honey," Grace called out.

Rosaline giggled. "That is one of the best pranks I have ever seen. She has definitely repaid you in full. Do not pout," she said to Ebony, who was sulking. "It is unseemly. She got you back fair and square."

"You should have seen Hanso's when we were seven," Juliet said with a cheeky grin. "He, ah, 'accidentally' pranked the Guild Leader."

"Really?" For a moment, the girls exchanged smirks. Then they remembered who they were, and that they weren't friends. They began scowling instead. I sighed. It was too good to last.

"What _happened _here?" Sasha asked. "Last I heard, he was treating her like a slave."

"That's when the rest of the family is around," Ivy told her.

She shook her head. "This place is crazier than I thought. I was glad to get out of there."

"It's our greatest consolation in life," Ivy said sarcastically, "Having people, even poor people, say that they're glad they're not us."

Even Sasha cracked a smile at that. "All right, guys," she said finally. "If you really want to track down Vira, I've got to say, you don't have much hope in that. Your parents are probably not going to let you run over the world. But," she said before we could protest, "You could try to get her to come to you."

"How?" I asked.

"What, I'm supposed to figure it out for you?" Sasha said. "Like Mr Tongue Tied there said-" Ebony tried to protest at this nickname, but due to him being unable to speak, it was ineffective –"You gotta use your head sometimes." Then she smirked. "Luckily, you seem to have quite a bit of dumb luck up your sleeves, because apparently, you have a number of powerful people hanging around Brightvale."

"Powerful people? Like who?" I asked suspiciously.

She didn't answer. "So," she said, taking out a small little glass map of Neopia, "According to my magic tracker – gift from Masila, by the way – she'll actually be skulking around here next month. She probably won't bother you, unless you do something stupid and deliberately go out and look for her. You won't do anything stupid, right?" Ebony snorted. Even if he couldn't talk, his meaning was heard loud and clear. "Thought so," she sighed. "Call me up and tell me how it goes, 'kay? I'm curious to see what you guys could do against _her_."

Week 4

It's really tiring to have the leader of the Thieves' Guild as a mentor sometimes.

Kayley _still _hasn't shown up – which is good, I guess, since they haven't really decided on who'd mentor her yet and she'd throw a temper tantrum if it was Master Sahira – but the rest of the class had someone for them. Bridgette stepped in for Tyler. As for the triplets, well, they kind of had to share the Meerca Brothers, something that my classmates were _not _happy about. For me, I just went to the Thieves' Guild office to find Kanrik staring wearily at a map. He was muttering to himself.

"Why did they have to come now?" he groaned. "Years and _years _they've ignored us, and suddenly they've popped up just when two of my best thieves are out-of-action-"

"Hi."

He jumped. "Hanso," he snarled. "Don't…_do _that."

"What, walk in to your office? I've done it thousands of times before, and you never said anything."

He sighed. "Never mind. I'm too busy right now. Go take care of your little kid—his mother is busy today."

I frowned. "Who are 'they'?"

"They who?"

"The people you were just talking about. You said something about them ignoring us and suddenly popping up-"

"It's nothing, Hanso."

"It's not nothing if you're muttering about it."

"Nothing that a child should worry about, then."

"I'm eleven! That's three years older than we broke you out of jail!" I reminded him. "Besides, remember the last time you tried to keep me out of something? You know I'm probably just gonna end up the middle of it again. Might as well be informed."

He glowered, probably thinking that he should kick me out of his office. But I guess he thought better of it. Instead, he turned around to a map that adorned the wall. "You know that we're not the solitary Thieves' Guild in the world," he said. "We're allied with a lot of different kinds of thieves: Pirates, the Desert Scarabs, the Gypsies…" I nodded. "In Terror Mountain, we used to have a kind of rivalry with this particular group. Galem especially was ferocious. When we fought, large amounts of people on both sides got killed….but we always won. Made them a tad bitter, really."

"It'd be annoying," I agreed.

"When I replaced Galem, the relations between our groups were a little less frosty; but I couldn't trust the other group to attack when we were vulnerable. So, after much searching, we decided to settle down in Brightvale. Only now, for some reason, they want to come and do the same thing. Apparently," he said in an irritated tone, "They had a feeling that some power was calling them there, or whatever. They didn't say this," he added. "One of my spies got the information when he eavesdropped on a conversation between the ruler of that Thieves' Guild and the son."

"Maybe they're the powerful people Sasha was talking about," I murmured. If they were, they could end up a very big threat. But I couldn't worry about them now.

Kanrik looked at me. "What?"

"Uh, nothing. Go on."

"Anyway," he said, holding up a letter. "They're moving to Meridell, and they're asking us for assistance on how to cope with the change. Problem is, I'm not really sure I support them coming closer to our territory. It could mean…" He trailed off, and then shook his head.

"It's not really your choice, is it?" I asked. "Maybe you should help out to show you mean to be friendly. You can't kick them out, that's for sure."

"I suppose," he said reluctantly. "In any case, it'll take quite a bit of time for them to pose an actual threat. I'm just hoping I don't regret this." He paused. "Am I truly so desperate that I'm confiding to an eleven-year-old?"

"Don't feel bad," I said lightly. "I talked you in to it. I'm good at that."

He gave me a small smile. "Yes. Yes, you are."

* * *

><p>Timmy, I'm sure, is going to be the death of me.<p>

After learning I was a rich kid—well, his mom isn't that gushing lady from a few months ago, anymore. She seemed to think of me as some sort of zombie, and that handing Timmy over would be the equivalent of giving me permission to eat his brains. But she didn't have a choice. She just scowled, told me to look after him properly, snapped at Timmy to use his common sense, and strode away. I blinked. "What was that about?"

"Mom's mad," he said sadly.

"Why?"

"I asked a bad question."

"There aren't any bad questions," I replied indignantly. "Did she give you an answer?" He shook his head no. "You can tell me. I'll answer it for you if I can; and if I can't, I can always ask Razor or maybe Sophia."

He shook his head. "I don't weally – really –want to."

"Oh. Okay."

We walked in silence for a little while. "I do have another question, though."

"What is it?"

"Is that possible for anybody?" he asked. I blinked, confused. "I mean, being friends with people that are not thieves? Being friends with people who are _different_?"

"Definitely!" I assured him. "I was pals with Charlie long before I knew we were cousins, remember? Kayley and I eventually overcame our differences – well, most of them – and now we're an awesome crime duo!" When she's here, at least.

He wrinkled his nose. "Yeah, but that's you. You're Hanso. I never saw anyone else try and do it. Your friends just kind of go with whatever you do." He looked at me slightly enviously. "If I turned out to be different, would my friends stay with me?"

"Is that what it's all about?" I asked. I grinned. "Look, Timmy. This is gonna sound really cheesy – and it is – but if they don't accept you then they're simply _not _your friends. Besides," I added when I saw his worried face. "When you're in the Thieves' Guild you'll be working really closely together, so you can't really fight that much or-"

"Oh, look, candy!" he exclaimed, and suddenly vanished out of sight. I blinked. Either the candy looked really good, or he was avoiding a conversation with me.

Anyway, I was stuck trying to look for him for around three hours. During that time, the afternoon sky burned, and I began panicking. I mean, it was becoming clear his mother hated my guts. What would she do to me if I brought him home late, or even worse, didn't bring him back at all? And what happened to Timmy, anyway? Sure, he's a resourceful little kid, but didn't mean he could beat Masila, or Vira, or even Harry. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. Someone probably saw him—he isn't so big on stealth yet.

A girl with bright blonde hair was kicking stones. She looked like she was in a bad mood; but, considering that most of the other people were either in a hurry or had company, I decided to ask her first. "Excuse me, miss?" I said. She kept her eyes down, which I thought was a little rude—like she didn't think I was important enough to talk to. But whatever. At least she wasn't running away or screaming for the guards. I continued. "I'm looking for a Wocky. He's small, brown, and has a messy mop of hair which he doesn't like in his eyes. Have you seen-"

Her eyes flickered upwards, and I caught sight of a familiar flash of electric blue. I nearly spluttered. "Nope," she said quickly, kicking the stone even harder. "Sorry."

"_Brynn_?" I asked, shocked. My brain scrambled in my head, trying to process what I was seeing. It was so ridiculous I almost couldn't believe it.

"Yes?" she grumbled.

"What happened to your-?"

"Violet happened!" she snarled. I snickered. The other Adonai sibling? Like brother, like sister, I guess, but I wasn't about to say that out loud. She kicked the stone so hard, it landed on an old lady's foot. I had to hard a grin as Brynn rushed to apologize at the screaming, foot-carrying lady. Said lady gave a loud 'hmph!' and huffed out of the marketplace. Brynn was a bit calmer after this, though. She said, "You're looking for someone, right?"

"Oh, yeah, right." Her having blonde hair distracted me. "Timmy, the little kid you sometimes see me with. Have you seen him?"

She shook her head. I was almost disappointed, when she asked, "Need some help looking at him?" She had nothing better to do, it seemed. I nodded, and we went around the marketplace searching for the little kid. Despite my growing hysteria, I was glad that Brynn came along. It was nice not to be the barrier between two girls who seemed to be on the brink of fighting each other.

Oh, and she was nice enough not to let be brain myself while I was hitting my head with a lamp post after saying "I'm so dead" many times.

"You're not," she said coaxingly. "I'm sure he's just hiding and…" She railed off, and for a moment I thought she had given up trying to help me. Then she grabbed my arm and led me (read: dragged me) to a sweet shop, where a familiar little Wocky kid was running out with a pack of sweets. Might have gotten away with it, too, if he hadn't run straight into me.

Brynn talked to the shopkeeper, who went back inside with a huff. Timmy tried to give her one of his sweet little looks, but she was unmoved by them. "I was hungy." I noticed he didn't try to correct himself with his pronunciation this time. Probably knew how downright cute it was.

"Brynn," I tried to excuse him, "He's thinking with his stomach so he-"

Her eyes shot daggers at me, and I couldn't finish my sentence. "It's my day off," she said simply, and walked away. Wow. She must have been really, really bored.

* * *

><p>"Are you <em>sure <em>it's a good idea to go there?" Timmy asked.

"Positive."

"It's overflowing with bubbles!"

"That's exactly why I want to find out what happened."

We were just supposed to past through Uptown, when I smelled the sweet scent of dishwasher. Naturally, I had to investigate, and what do you know, it led to the Adonai house! I have to say, besides mine that is the craziest family I've ever seen. Ebon was standing outside, his hands clasped behind his back and a pleased expression on his face. Grace opened the door to let a stream of pink bubble mixture go out. "Ebony!"

"Mother."

"What did you _do_?"

"I told you I would clean after myself," he said, with an innocent tone. She groaned, but he just laughed. "It'll go out soon; I bought the quick-drying one, don't worry."

"I'll get you back for this," she promised. He just grinned. "I mean it! When you least expect it, I will get my vengeance-"

"Hi."

They both turned around. "Oh, it's you," Ebony said when he saw Timmy. "Well, swing's all yours, if you want it. I have new ways of entertaining myself now."

"You mean torturing me with pranks?" Grace moaned. "I suppose I should just be thankful you didn't do it when your sisters were here."

For a moment, his smile faded. "Don't be. It's no fun when you can't fight back."

"So I suppose it's okay to lock your sisters in the shed when you know I can't protest?"

"That's different!"

"Of course it is," she said angrily. "I don't mind if it's me you have to abuse, but your sisters-"

"Oh, yes. The girls _always _need protecting. Good message, Mother dearest."

"That's not what I mean."

"Yes, it is. Violet is a _guard_!"

"And yet she's as powerless against your father and the Tradition as just about any girl if she doesn't succeed in her little plot."

"She'd be as helpless as the _rest _of us, you mean."

For a moment, she struggled. "What about Hazel? She hasn't had any training-"

"Oh, for Fyora's sake!" he snapped. "You're babying her! Ever since she was little she's gotten her own way whenever you could sneak something behind Father's back, so you've made out that anyone who isn't nice to her is evil. That's not going to help her, and the sooner she sees that the better-" He stiffened, as if sensing something.

And suddenly, we saw a familiar carriage riding rapidly down the street. Ebony's eyes followed it avidly. He seemed to wince as it turned right near a hill, still within our sight, where I knew Sapphire's – now Guinevere's – house to be. A girl with long, dark hair stepped out of the coach. "Wow," Timmy marvelled. "She'd be really pretty if she wasn't so sad." Her usually bright green eyes were tinted with red, as if she'd been crying, and instead of her usual confident stride, she practically ran to the house, as if she didn't want to stay out in the open more than she had to.

It was weird, like someone had melted through Emerald's defences and left a sad, frightened girl.

"Oh, damn," Ebony muttered. "Something's wrong." He glanced at me. "Don't take this the wrong way, Hanso, but I'd really appreciate it if you don't come next week. I have to fix this."

"Sure," I managed to croak out. With that, he darted for Guinevere's house. "Come on, Timmy. I don't think it's a good idea for us to be here—you mom will be looking for you."

My last look in Uptown this week was Grace's face, her expression taken aback. In that moment, I think it seemed to dawn to her that she didn't know her son at all.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Betrothal by proxy is now expanded on in my profile. This won't affect Ivy in BD, by the way—betrothals can be done by proxy, but not weddings. ;) **


	53. Interlude: Bittersweet

**A/N: I can't believe I just realized it now—I have over 200 reviews! *squeals and happy dances around the room* I can't believe that even up to this point, I still get new reviewers (Kamryn and Lunaquafy specially). And to those who reviewed from the beginning, thanks for sticking with me. :) **

**Dedicated to Mama and my cousin, whose birthdays are tomorrow. **

* * *

><p><strong>Interlude: Bittersweet<strong>

* * *

><p><em>Crashed on the floor when I moved in<em>

_This little bungalow, with some strange new friends_

_Stayed up too late, and I'm too thin_

_We promised each other it's 'til the end..._

* * *

><p>This wasn't the first time her father had sent her away.<p>

She could remember _that _time clearly, although no one would believe her. She was only four, after all. Yet even then, she had a clear-sighted memory and an eye for detail. She could remember her mother, beautiful and loving and all she ever wanted to be, looking desperate as she chased after her father with Emerald in her arms. She could remember her begging, tears streaming down her face. _One more chance. Please._ One more chance for what, Emerald wondered at the time. She would receive a painful answer to this question much, much later. _For Emerald's sake. One more chance._

_For what? _Her father had asked mockingly. _A useless girl?_

It was then that her mother had given up chasing after him. Instead, she let him walked away, her face undisguised with pain and sorrow. She took Emerald to a small alcove in the garden. Their secret place, she called it. No one could hear them or find them there. At that moment, Emerald had just wanted to hug her mother tight and stay there forever. Stroking her hair, her mother assured Emerald that her father was just angry at the moment. He didn't mean anything he said about her, and that he loved her very much.

"But what about you?"Emerald had asked innocently. "Father loves you, doesn't he? He doesn't mean the things that he said."

The answer to that question, she never got. Her mother just smiled sadly and pulled her closer. She made Emerald promise that, no matter what happened between her and her father, she would always play the part of a humble and obedient girl. It took a lot of persuading – they were in there for a long time – but when the sun dipped in to the horizon and cast a reddish, dreamy glow in the garden, Emerald gave her word.

In later years, when she would struggle to keep hold of her temper, the promise would save her life. In the realm of Richmond, anyone who disagrees with the King will be punished. Such was the law, she supposed.

Her mother had beamed at her and kissed her forehead. She fed Emerald her dinner all by herself, even if she had ladies to do that for her, and made a plane out of a soup spoon that zoomed around and flew in to Emerald's mouth. She helped her get ready for bed and put her nightdress on. She sat on her bed with Emerald and combed her hair with one hundred, careful strokes. Then she smiled again and kissed her goodnight. She said that she loved her.

Then, when she thought the ladies weren't looking, she leaned in close and whispered to Emerald that she loved her for whom she was, and even if she had the power, she would never change a thing about her. She told her that even if her problems became hard, she should never, ever give up. All problems have a solution. She just had to think of it.

Emerald, almost dozing off, was perplexed by why her mother was telling her this now. Surely it could wait tomorrow? They would have another happy, fun-filled day, feeding the birds and saying hello to the Koi in the pond.

As it turned out, Emerald would never have another happy, fun-filled day with her mother. The next day, her ladies were in a flurry to pack up her belongings and return to Hunsdon, a house that was a palace in miniature, fit for a duchess. She tried to protest. She _liked _Hunsdon, really, but her mother had promised that she would get to stay in the palace of Richmond for a few weeks with her. When she mentioned this to her main lady-in-waiting, the woman hissed, "I wouldn't mention your mother right now if I were you."

After more probing around, she got it out of a maid-of-honour that her mother had done something very wicked, and that she was going to the Tower, where the criminals were. Only that was wrong. Her mother would never do anything naughty, especially not against her father, whom she loved very much. It was all just a mistake, and it would get sorted in due course. In the meantime, she decided she would go willingly to Hunsdon, where her father proclaimed she should go. Then he could fix the mistake.

Soon, they were all packed and ready to go. Carlos, her driver, helped her ladies load everything to her carriage, trusting Emerald not to wander around by herself. Emerald did as she was told and stayed put in a nearby bench. She was gazing around the castle, thinking about the games she would play when she got home, when she caught sight of her mother, looking out the window. They hadn't transferred her to the Tower yet, and she was glad of that. She waved, trying to reassure her mother that it was going to be okay. Her mother smiled and waved back, mouthing something.

_I love you._

Emerald never saw her again.

* * *

><p>Her time in Hunsdon was horrid.<p>

That was all the little girl – who was so used to being peppered with compliments at court – could say about the place. The servants were nice enough, but none of them were her _friends_. Sometimes she thought that some didn't like her, a fact that made her miss her mother even more. She knew her mother was the Duchess of Richmond (though she was too young to understand what _that _truly meant yet) and therefore a very important person, but that didn't keep her from wishing she was here.

Emerald wanted her mother, so they can enjoy those happy days when they played with a skipping rope or acted out fairy tales in the garden and had a picnic afterwards. She wanted her mother to help her with her lessons or, even better, _teach _her the lessons herself as she sometimes did, instead of that nasty Governess Ludmilla. Most of all, she wanted her mother so she can make sure those horrible whisperings of her maids weren't true. Mother wasn't in any real danger, was she?

She refused to believe that.

She refused to believe that, right up to that fateful night, when she put her ear in her ladies' door and heard them hear the news.

Mother was dead.

_Dead._

_Gone._

She had passed away, leaving nothing behind but her possessions which the next duchess would inherit, a few memories that would fade just a bit more as each day went, and a little daughter that would never stop mourning her.

* * *

><p>A year later, when she was five, she was allowed to come back to court.<p>

She was truly happy to see her father again—and for a while, that seemed sound for him as well. He took her in his arms and threw her up in the air and played games with her all day. Then, he introduced her to his new duchess Emerald plastered a smile on her face. The lady was pretty, she conceded, and nice, she wouldn't deny that, but she did not think her as beautiful or sweet as her mother. Her mother _loved _her.

She soon found the reason why her father was in such a good mood—her new stepmother was pregnant, and he was hoping for her to give him a boy. As much as she was glad that her father might get his greatest desire, she couldn't help but harbour a bit of resentment. Never once had he apologized or spoken of her mother.

A few months later, the new duchess miscarried.

Emerald was sent away again.

* * *

><p>At least this time it wasn't Hunsdon, with the spying maids and Marcy looking through her as if she were glass.<p>

This time, she was going to the kingdom of Brightvale, one of the two larger kingdoms in the Medieval Lands. Her aunt's family had recently moved there, and she had offered to take Emerald in for a while. She was really grateful. She liked Aunt Garnet, and she knew that her mother and she were great friends when the former was alive. Still—she was a grown-up. Her cousin Sapphire was three years older, and Emerald supposed that they could have spent time together, but Sapphire had her own crowd; and though she didn't say so, Emerald knew she didn't want to bring her along. So, she kept back, and was alone once more.

That is, until her aunt decided to introduce her to a few prominent families. None of them would be equal to her status – indeed, in any other case most of them would be too low to contemplate talking to – but she didn't really mind. She never liked judging anyone else for their status; once upon a time, her mother was only a Lady. Then her father married her, and she became the most important woman in the kingdom.

Things change, she knew, and there was a chance that the people there might rise high.

So, she was introduced to a bunch of her aunt's neighbours. They were all nice, she thought, but she doubted any of them actually _liked _her. If there was one thing she was good at, it was seeing things for what they were. Most seemed more curious on how her father was doing and how much favour she had more than how she was settling in.

But eventually, the adults got bored talking to a five-year-old and began chatting amongst themselves. There were some kids in that place, but most of them were either too shy to talk to her, or thought she wasn't worth it. Sapphire introduced her to some of her playmates; but after a few minutes of talking, she realized that they weren't the type of girls she would want as friends and got away from the group.

She was just deciding that she'd rather go to the library and read for the rest of the afternoon when a tall man, an Usul, made his way to the front. He was dragging a very irritated boy about her age alongside of him. "Duchess Emerald," he said respectfully, bowing low, and Emerald instantly knew he was a power-hungry person who wanted to use her to gain more positions. The boy, however, simply gave her a nod—and she didn't know what to make of it. The man pushed the boy in front. "Allow me to introduce myself," he said in a polite tone. "I'm Black Tennyson Adonai, and this is my son, Ebony." The boy just raised his right hand half-heartedly. "I'll leave you to make acquaintances_."_ With that, he dashed off.

Ebony sighed with relief. "Right. Glad that's over." She looked at him questioningly. "Oh, sorry. My father's been teaching me the art of charming people." He said the last two words in a sarcastic tone. "Wants me to be charismatic when I grow up, for some reason. He made me talk to a bunch of people all day and suck up to the lot of them. I'm tired of doing it."

"So I'll just have you instead of your polite façade?"

"Pretty much," he replied bluntly. She blinked, not used to such honesty. "I'm six, I don't want to spend all day bowing to people. Besides, you don't seem to fall for it."

"No, I don't."

"Hey, Ebony," said a girl's mocking voice. "That your new girlfriend?"

"Ooh, a duchess!" said a boy. "You scored big!"

Ebony gritted his teeth. "Emerald…Em – can I call you Em? – this is Ivy." He pointed to the red Wocky. The girl flashed a mischievous smile at her. "And this is her trusty side-kick, Hawk Aves."

"Hey!" said the Xweetok, looking offended.

"He didn't say anything wrong," Ivy said, smirking.

He stuck his tongue out at her. "I thought we were on the same side, Adonai."

"But you _are _my side-kick."

"Yeah, side-kick this," he said, kicking her in the shins.

"Ow!" She scowled at him. "You'll pay for that, Hawk!" With that, she launched herself at him, knocking him over flat and starting a fierce fight, effectively ruining her dress in the process. Emerald stared.

"Don't worry, they're always like this," said Ebony. "Hey, Windsor! You mind breaking them up?"

A Lupe about their age – one of the people who appeared a little intimidated by her status – strode up confidently when he saw his friends were near. He grabbed Ivy and Hawk by the collar and split them apart, still wriggling. Then he bopped them back together, banging their heads. "Ow!" they cried in unison. "What the heck did you do that for?" Ivy snapped.

"'Cause it was fun," Harry said, as if that explained everything. "And you wouldn't stop moving." They both glared at him. "What, you'd prefer if I make you _kiss _each other?" The Lupe swung them around to face each other and began getting them closer.

"No! Gross!" Hawk screeched, kicking.

"Get off, Harry!" Ivy yelled. The Lupe let out a slightly evil laugh and dropped them. "Think you're such a tough guy," she muttered. "Pick on someone your own size, will ya?"

"Manners, manners, sis," said another Wocky. He bowed at Emerald—unlike most of the other people, his courtesy seemed genuine to her. "My name is Harlequin, miss…but you can call Harley. You've already made the acquaintance of my _lovely _sister?" He grinned at her. "Don't worry. I have an older one who's much more polite."

"I can be polite," Ivy protested.

"Sure you can. Just not when Aves is here."

"Right," Hawk agreed. "I'm a _bad _influence." They both laughed.

"Are we allowed to go to your place now?" Harry asked Ebony. He glanced at Emerald sheepishly. "Er, no offense, but it's getting a little dull. His mom might be making something."

"As a matter of fact, Mum suddenly had a craving for brownies today," Ebony said. "I don't think our parents will mind—we've already done our duty for today."

Ivy mimicked a deep bass voice. "_What important step in the social ladder did you take today, kids?"_

"We met a duchess!" they all chorused.

"_And what important step do you take now?"_

"Eat brownies!"

"Agreed," Ivy quipped. "Lead the way, Master Windsor."

The Lupe happily walked out of the mansion and ran down a road. The rest followed with enthusiasm. Emerald smiled faintly; _that _was an interesting group. She'd have liked them for friends, though she supposed they were too busy and too wrapped up in each other to really have noticed her. She turned around—and found that the Adonai boy, Ebony, was still there. "Sorry," he apologized. "They can get kind of distracted if pastries are involved, especially if Mum made them. Of course you're coming, too."

"I'm not sure if my aunt would-"

"Aw, come on," he said, nudging her. "You're in Brightvale Uptown. You don't have to be so strict. I'm sure your aunt will understand."

"And your father?" she asked, thinking of the domineering man who so badly wanted them to be friends.

"Technically, I'm fulfilling my duty by doing this. He'll be ecstatic when I tell him about it."

"Right," she said disapprovingly. "You're taking me to your house because of duty. I think I'll just stay here."

"Hey, I didn't mean it like that!" He grabbed her arm. "It's not like I actually care about anything he says. He won't punish me, no matter what. I'm his pride and joy, being his only son and all. And if he dared mistreat me, Mum would just whack him with a frying pan!"

"With a _what_?" Emerald asked, but he was already tugging her down the street.

He stopped at a large house. Emerald couldn't help but gulp. It wasn't nearly as big as any of her places, but it looked ten times as threatening, with Adonai relatives scowling disapprovingly at her. "Yeah, they creep me out too," he said when he saw her expression. "The kitchen's a lot more fun." Sure enough, she was led to a brightly lit room with bunches of flowers and the aroma of warm cookies. The other kids were slumped on the floor, their bellies bigger than usual. Ebony eyed the empty plate with dismay.

Then suddenly, a lady popped out of the pantry. She was pretty, with long, honey-blonde hair, warm, friendly eyes, and a face that had a mischievous air to it. Her stomach swelled, indicating that she was pregnant. Ebony lit up at the sight of the tray she was carrying. "What, you thought I'd leave my favourite boy nothing but crumbs to it?" she asked, smirking. She nodded at Emerald. "Who's that?"

"The duchess father wanted me to meet," Ebony said, grabbing a brownie. She hit his hand lightly with a spoon. "What?"

"Aren't you going to offer her some first?"

"Oh, all right. Em, would you like a brownie?"

"Sure."

"Too bad." He ate it.

"Ebony!" the lady huffed.

"What? You only said I had to _offer_," Ebony pointed out. He pushed the rest of the plate to Emerald. "Okay, you can have your pick." Hesitantly, Emerald nibbled a piece of it—and then gobbled it up as quickly as the rest of the kids before she could remember her manners. Never, in all her years of eating the finest food in the kingdom, did she ever taste brownies this scrumptious. Chocolate cream oozed in her tongue, so light it vanished quickly but sweet enough to leave a delicious taste in her mouth. In no time, she and Ebony began warring with each other for the rest of the pastries. The lady just laughed.

"Oh, this is Mum," Ebony said once they've finished. Grudgingly, they agreed to split the last brownie in half. "Grace Adonai."

"Technically, it should be Honey Adonai," she corrected. "But I like going with Grace better." She smiled at her. "I really hope we'll see more of you around, Emerald."

"So do I," she replied, managing to grab a bit of Ebony's brownie and pop it in to her mouth.

* * *

><p>She did have to stay there for quite a while; unlike her previous banishment, when all she could look forward to was studying from dawn until dusk and practicing her etiquette, here, she finally had friends who didn't care much about her position. Apparently, none of them had any ambition to go to court except Ebony; and he was much too principled to use her as an advantage. To her surprise, the kids there actually didn't meet that much at all. They were too wrapped up in their own activities—a fact that she fixed by frequently calling meetings. Eventually, even Harry would drop his sword practice the first time she asked him to come.<p>

She loved observing them, these curious kids of Brightvale. Despite being fairly popular among others, these seemed _different. _On the outside, they did everything their parents told them to do and followed the rules; on the inside, they absolutely rebelled against the idea of conforming. It was curious how they were so unalike, yet she loved spending time with each of them, from watching Harry sword-practice to observing Ivy in her little workshop.

Especially Ebony. Unlike the others' hobbies, he loved playing chess; especially against his mum. For hours on end, they would sit opposite each other in the chessboard and compete, destroying each other's armies mercilessly through deceit and strategy. They never got up until the game was finished. Ever. Emerald was almost certain that if Grace went in labour during a game, she would insist on finishing it before she went to the hospital. Sometimes, they barely noticed she was there.

That was all right. She liked how they spent time together on a hobby they both enjoyed, with Grace teaching Ebony lessons and exchanging sarcastic remarks over it. It made her miss her mother all the more, when she watched how Grace told Ebony he did a good job even when he lost badly, when Ebony would sometimes tell funny stories about the chess pieces when his mother looked tired and weary. In a good way. Remembering was painful, but she knew she'd feel even more awful if she forgot.

And afterwards, when the games were over and Grace needed to take a nap or something, he'd grin at her in a sly way, and they'd pore over poems or play in the garden or simply just lounge around, talking. They had random conversations about _everything_, and for the first time since her mother died, she found it easy just being herself. Through unspoken agreement, they decided they'd be best friends.

She always knew it couldn't last.

* * *

><p>With a stroke of bad luck, Emerald found herself recalled back to Richmond a few days after little Violet was born.<p>

At least, she supposed, she was actually there when Grace had her labour pains. She didn't know what Ebony would've done if he and his mother were alone—her oh-so-brave best friend simply cowered while Grace, smirking despite the pain, ordered Emerald what to do and who she should get. They were then hastily pushed out of the room and absolutely forbidden to enter the birthing chamber, something that none of the group, not even Ivy, challenged. They were freaked out enough as it was, and spent the rest of the day waiting in suspense at the new playground. Ebony was especially fidgety, twisting and swooping down the swing with agitation.

He was a lot happier when the baby was born and his mother was all right again. For a moment, Emerald wondered if he'd be disappointed not to have a little brother–which was what his father was telling it would be. To her surprise, he seemed delighted that he had a sister instead. "I didn't really want anyone to replace me," he confided in her. He smiled faintly. "Though I suppose we should hope _you _get a little brother soon, right, Em?"

It was the third time her stepmother was pregnant. She had miscarried again the second time, and though she was far away from the gossips of her ladies-in-waiting from Hunsdon, she knew all too well that this was her stepmother's final chance to give her father what he wanted. She wondered, sometimes, what would happen if they baby was a girl.

_She'd end up like _my _mother._

This time, the prospects were really hopeful. The Duchess had now reached her eighth month of pregnancy, and the whole kingdom was crossing its fingers for it to be a boy. As the ninth month got nearer and nearer, Father spent more time with Emerald and decorated her with lavish gowns, which she was now growing increasingly tired of. Those days, she wanted more than ever not to care jot if her gowns were smooth or crumpled and climb the trees with Ebony. But she was a duchess, and duchesses, whether she liked it or not, were supposed to care.

It was all for naught, anyway. The baby was stillborn.

The Duchess was lucky, though; she died a few weeks afterwards as well, clearing way for another stepmother without having to be forced to step aside. After her father waited an appropriate amount of time, he chose yet another bride, a red-headed beauty from across the sea. "You'll like her," he told Emerald that night, when he had come to play with her in the garden. "I'm sure she's the one. She has to be. She'll get you a brother within a few years, Emerald, I'm sure of it."

She shivered at the shadow of his almost mad smile.

She can't really judge the wedding, as she's never been one before – they didn't invite her for the last one – but all things considered, it seemed to be a good party. The bride was lovely, but justifiably nervous. Her father was handsome as ever. A few courtier boys even got up the guts to talk to her. Had she not have been in Brightvale Uptown, she might have been flattered and fascinated by them. In her desperation – oh, she was so terribly lonely now – she might have even willingly fallen for their tricks. But she's learned a few tricks herself since the last time she came to court, and she knows what having _real _friends feel like. Whenever she spoke to one of them, she always noticed a grown-up, a father or mother, watching hopefully in the side-lines. And she knows what those boys are really here for.

During the ceremony, she fought hard not to say anything. She loved her father more than any other person in the world, but didn't he already have enough wives? Didn't he have enough heirs? Didn't he have Marcy…and her? That was it, wasn't it? Like Eb, she didn't want to be replaced, even when Marcy was clearly more favoured than she was. She was scared that she wasn't good enough for her father. She clenched the rim of her seat tightly to keep herself from crawling under the table.

She missed the girl who'd whisper something snarky about the overly serious best man to make Em laugh, and the girl's brother who would most definitely have told her to be quiet. She missed the boy who was really a big softie beneath the whole bravado he put up, and who'd have assured her that he'd defend anyone who sought to harm her with his awesome mighty sword (which didn't have yet). Most of all, she missed the best friend who would've known what she was thinking before she said anything, and who would've given her that sad, understanding grin that always made her feel better.

Ebony always understood. Not that she'd ever admit it, of course.

* * *

><p>It was a dreary dinner in the Month of Sleeping that had been her undoing. Tempers were rather short in the palace that day. Including her own.<p>

"_Father, what will happen if you don't have a son to inherit the kingdom?"_

It was stupid of her to ask that. _Extremely _stupid. But Tessa (it was supposed to be Topaz, but her father didn't object to her being addressed by her real name) and she were getting to be great friends. Her last stepmother was always overly sweet to her, treating her as she would a little child, but Tessa believed that children should be like equals and treated her with respect. The new duchess, originally from Kiko Lake, was used to wide open spaces and meadows. She and Emerald spent many long hours playing games in a nearby forest and weaving flowers for crowns.

That night, her father was hinting – not subtly at all – that he was displeased with Tessa for not being with child yet. Tessa meekly bowed her head to acknowledge this, her cheeks coloured with embarrassment and her eyes wide with fear. And Emerald, forgetting her promise to her mother for the very first time, simply snapped.

"_I think, my daughter," he said through gritted teeth, "It's time for you to move out of the palace again."_

_She quickly tried to backpedal. "But Father, I-"_

"_You need to learn your place, Emerald Navarette."_

* * *

><p>Silly as it was, she was even more frightened when she heard the news at Brightvale.<p>

It was her first night back, and her aunt absolutely refused to allow her to go anywhere before she was bathed, dressed, and fed. By the time that was accomplished, the moon was already high in the sky. She briefly considered paying Eb a visit by throwing stones at his window, but she eventually decided against it. One thing she had learned is that no one, not even her, could get her _dear_ best friend to wake up before nine a.m. She was just pulling her socks up and crawling in to bed, when Sapphire came in. "I'm supposed to wish you goodnight," she said in an apologetic tone. "To, uh, be a welcoming hostess and all." She looked awkward. "Good night and a pleasant evening, Emerald."

"You can call me Em," she said impulsively.

"Call a duchess by a nickname?" Sapphire couldn't seem to wrap that idea around her head.

"A lot of people do," Emerald assured her. "Ebony, Harley, Ivy, Hawk, Grace, Azure, Harry…" As of last month, she could also add Tessa in the list.

"You're pally with Harry Windsor?" Sapphire's eyes nearly popped out of her sockets. Emerald nodded, confused. Whenever she mentioned her friends, it was always Ivy or Hawk who got the special attention, particularly if their names were used in the same sentence. And particularly after the _incident._ Harry, however, never really caused too much trouble. She was puzzled by what changed. "Did you know what he _did_?"

"Um, no."

"Oh, yeah, you were in Richmond." With that, Sapphire launched in a full tale about Harry and his choice. In all honesty, Emerald didn't pay much attention. She wished she could have said good-bye to him – popping up in the Brightvale Castle unannounced is considered rude if you're part of another kingdom's family, and her father would never give his permission – but secretly, she was more than a little proud of him. A step in the right direction, she supposed, though he gave up quite a bit in exchange for it; she was worried how that might affect him. Harry was nice, but he was also known for seeking retribution whenever he thought the person deserved it; one of the few traits he shared in common with Ebony, unfortunately.

She bit her lip, wondering. Did Ebony Adonai make the same choice?

She was being selfish, she knew that, but she really, really hoped that he didn't join the Guard. She…well, she needed him right now. Whether he joined the Uptown one or not, she wouldn't be able to see him quite so often, and she feared that when they did meet up, they wouldn't be as close. But she was being silly. They'd still be the best of friends, even if he decided he'd be a guard. She'd stand by his decision, whatever it was. That's what friends do, right?

Still, she didn't even bother to hide her relief when he tackled her from behind right after breakfast. She hugs him right back—which surprised him, since she usually shrieked not to _scare _her like that. "You would've missed me," he said smugly, pulling out of her embrace.

"I would," she replied honestly.

"I suppose your gossipy cousin already told you what Harry did."

"Yep." He waited. "I think it was really brave of him," she admitted.

He grinned. "I thought you might see it like that. I think so, too. The others disagree with me."

"Even Harley?"

He nodded. "Personally, I think he's a little jealous. His dad refused him point blank to join the Guard. Not that he'd actually _want _ to do it—he just wants to get out of marrying."

"And you?" For a moment, she felt a wave of unlikely gratitude to Black Tennyson Adonai. "Your father didn't allow you either?"

"Of course he did," he said, waving dismissively. "Took me aside and gave me his blessing, if that's what I wished, but I could tell that he really wants me to be a courtier. Well, he's getting what he wants. I told him I didn't want to join. Got me a little ruby ring to celebrate," he said, taking out of his pocket and showing it to her. She blinked at it, mesmerized. "It's supposed to have a hidden meaning, I think."

"But if he allowed you," Emerald exclaimed, tearing her gaze away from the jewel, "Why didn't you go? You have no problems with being athletic or getting your hands dirty. You could've gotten away from the Traditon."

For a moment, his smile faltered. "Well…I had my own reasons. Let's leave it at that, okay, Emmy?" Before she could protest, he grabbed her arm just like he used to. "You should see what they've done to the playground!"

During the following months in Uptown – happy months, despite her constant guilt for displeasing her father – she noticed some changes. Small ones, but they were there nevertheless. Relations between Ivy and her siblings became strained; they always had been, ever since what happened with Hawk, but they were just a little more stiff. The same went with Ebony and his mother; apparently, she went by the name Honey now. They still spent some time together, still spent snatches of chess games and discussions of strategy, but the slightest cry from little Violet and Honey was off. During those times, Emerald noticed her best friend's smile just became a teeny bit more forced.

And all of them felt the loss of Harry keenly, despite not one of them ever admitting it. As active and reckless as their friend was, they couldn't lie to themselves that he became a guard simply because he wanted to. It was as if playtime was over, and that the countdown to their unfortunate marriages was beginning. Emerald, never having to worry about this, couldn't imagine what pain her friends were going through. They've all heard the horror stories. They've all read the rule book. It was just a matter of time before one of them got hitched for good.

She wished she could help them somehow, but she wished in vain.

Then, one day, she received a letter.

_My dearest Emerald,_

_I hope you're having a good time in Brightvale. I remember you telling me about your lovely little friends and the adventures you've had there – perhaps I can come one day as well? Not any time soon, I fear. Your father, my most gracious husband, has allowed me to send you one letter to bear the news: I am with child. _

_I hope you don't think I'm putting pressure on you, dearest, but it would be such a comfort for you to come back. I think that there's a good chance that if I ask him now, he'll agree that you've learned your lesson and let you return. Ah, don't think I blame you, sweeting. I never fully thanked you for standing up for me. You're always so brave. And that's why I want you to stay with me, my little jewel, although I will not be offended if you can't say the same. I hope you understand. I need your bravery more than ever._

_Love,_

_Tessa_

"She's afraid," Emerald told Ebony. "She's afraid of what my father might do to her if she fails. And it's a justified fear, too."

"I suppose your conscience isn't going to let you stay here?" he said flatly.

"I'm afraid not. I already sent a reply." She shuffled her feet. "She got it wrong, though."

"Got what wrong?"

"That I'm brave." Emerald gave a little laugh. She'd spent her entire life hiding behind others, whether it was her mother or her father's secretary or her friends.

"But you are," he said unexpectedly. "Don't deny it, Emmy. You're one of the bravest people I know." He sighed. "When are you leaving?"

"Tonight, probably. Father's good mood won't last, so it's best if I hurry."

"When will you be back?"

"You'll miss me, won't you?" she teased.

"Absolutely," he replied.

She smiled uncertainly. "I don't know, Eb. I don't want to displease my father—I'm going to take extra care not to. And he'd never let me correspond with you through letters because of your status."

"So I won't hear from you for a very long time, I guess." He looked glum. "Let's just get our good-byes over with, then. You know we have act really proper among the adults later tonight."

"I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?" he asked, his tone lighter. "It's just that…well, I'd miss you. And with Mum being so occupied with Violet, and my cousins getting so wrapped up in their own lives, and Harry moving away…it tends to get a bit sad sometimes."

"You can always play with your sister."

He rolled his eyes. "Believe me, I do. She's a little tyrant in the nursery." Was she imagining it, or did she detect a hint of brotherly pride in his voice? Then he grinned, grabbed a familiar ruby ring from his pocket, and gave it to her. "Just token to help you know that you do have friends here," he said, when she opened her mouth. "And a reminder that, whatever else you are, Emerald, _brave_ is one of them. Truly."

"Getting cheesy, are we?"

"Yes. Speaking of cheese, I'm certainly not saying this just because I felt guilty I ate Mum's good-bye present of cheese buns for you."

"What?" she shrieked. "But cheese buns are my favourite."

He smirked, gave her one last hug, and their good-byes were over.

* * *

><p>It's a boy.<p>

* * *

><p>She was around ten years old when she was sent away again, this time because her father wanted to focus on Ekanite's <em>very special <em>birthday of two years, which was longer than any of his sons ever lived. She supposed he thought it would be a compliment for her; Meridell actually was the biggest of the kingdoms, and besides, Brightvale was where he sent her when she was punished. But oh, it was so utterly _dull. _She wasn't allowed to go help the farmers harvest, there was no library or any form of entertainment, and all the children in the Meridell Uptown who were old enough to associate with her either was too intimidated, or wanted to use her for personal gain.

All but one.

Charlie was a sweet little Kacheek who always ended up in the most ridiculously awful situations. He had been lost in the berry field, nearly drowned in apple juice, and even accidentally switched places with that other Kacheek who ran the rubbish dump. "'Ere you go, Miss," the man said good-naturedly, handing the little boy over whom she considered her personal responsibility. "A fine rascal, that one. I sleep _one _hour late and he'd already charmed enough folks to give up their best treasures. Too late to claim them back, though."

"I didn't mean to trick them in to giving anything, honest, Em," the little boy told her petulantly. "They just asked me about the rubbish dump, and I didn't know what it was, so I guessed it was a place where people put their stuff to keep them safe and then they put all their items and money there." He bit his lip. "Mummy will be cross with me, won't she?"

"I'm afraid so," Em said regretfully. While she had to admit Charlie needed a little punishing for this instance, she loathed the methods his mother used.

"This isn't fair!" he pouted. "Mummy is even _more _irritated with me, just 'cause I don't measure up to my cousin Harry's example-"

She froze. "Did you just say you have a cousin called Harry?"

"Yes," said Charlie casually. "Actually, he's my third cousin twice removed or something. I forget sometimes. I don't see him much, 'cause he lives in Brightvale and is a guard, but I don't like him much so that's okay."

"Charlie, your last name wouldn't happen to be Windsor, is it?"

He blinked. "Oh, yeah, it is. I forgot to tell you, I guess."

"Where's your cousin now?"

"At my house," he said, confused at why she was so interested in this. "He's usually busy working so he gets to miss family reunions and those type of things, but his mother put her foot down so he has to attend-"

"Sorry, dearest, but I must get going. I'll see you back at your place, okay?" She ran off without hearing his response. She could hardly believe it. Almost two years had elapsed since she had met any of her friends from Brightvale, and three years since she had seen Harry. Now, one of them was _here. _ She simply couldn't pass this opportunity up, and raced to the Windsor house with agility even she was amazed she had. Soon, though, she found herself mixed in a throng of Windsor relatives; she was forced to slow down, much to her irritation. She quickly scanned her surroundings, trying to catch a glimpse of the boy.

To her amusement, she soon spotted him in a business suit—exactly the kind Ebony always wore and took for granted, and exactly the kind every other boy in Brightvale found uncomfortable. He had plastered a smile on his face and was nodding to his relatives, but his eyes had a sort of glazed looked about it that indicated he wasn't paying attention. She giggled. Some things never change. As soon as his relatives had grown bored and dispersed, she tapped him on the shoulder. He jumped. "I warn you, Charles, if that's you again I'm going to-"

"Is that any way to treat a duchess?" said Emerald, mock-disapprovingly.

His jaw slackened. She smiled at the undisguised happiness (and disbelief) that showed on his face. "Emmy?" he said tentatively.

"Yeah."

"You're here!" And just like that, he pulled her in to a big hug and nearly squeezed the life out of her.

"Harry, dearest, I'm suffocating!"

"Sorry," he said, backing away. But he didn't stop grinning. "Wow—long time no see! You don't look like you changed a bit, though. You're still a midget."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

They smirked, remembering the times when they argued about that very thing one summer's day years ago when she couldn't reach the top shelf. "Anyway," she said, brushing herself up, "Aren't you supposed to be in a uniform or something? A little birdie told me you've become a guard now." For a moment, his smile faltered, and an uneasy look crossed his face—as if he was afraid she was going to reprimand him. "I think that's pretty cool," she hastened to assure him. "I don't know many people who'd have enough guts to do what you did."

"Yeah," he boasted, visibly relaxing. "No one has guts like me."

"Of course," she agreed, trying to hide her amusement. "Mind telling me the whole tale?" He frowned, hesitating. "Come _on_, Harry," she said, tugging on his arm playfully. "We're friends, remember?"

He smiled ruefully. "Yep. A lot like_ some _people in the guard."

"What?" she exclaimed. "I thought guards were supposed to be noble and all that."

He shrugged. "_They _think we're all spoiled and snobbish. Kind of hard to make something of yourself there with _that _hanging over your head, y'know?" He sighed, and Emerald saw he had a much more difficult time than he let on. But then, this was Harry, who _loathed _appearing weak. If she tried to interfere, he'd only be hurt that she thought him incapable of taking care of himself; which is completely not true. But for all his outward bravado, he was sensitive like that. "Anyway, it's okay now. I'm a lot more…shall we say, _respected._"

"Harry," she said suspiciously. "Did you do anything?"

He tried to look innocent. "Of course not." She stared at him. He squirmed. "You know that your eyes are really creepy when you look at me like that, right?"

"I know," she said unblinkingly.

"Em," he said, exasperated. "I don't want to talk about it, okay? Come on. It's the first time I saw you in years, and I'm leaving tonight. You really want to ruin that with me tell you some dumb story?"

She sighed. "I guess not. But you're going to have to tell me someday, you know."

He looked uncomfortable. "Uh, sure. Can we talk about something else now?"

She grinned at him. "Did you get that sword you wanted?"

"No," he said sulkily, frustration evident in his voice. "I only have a blunted one now. We're going to have a proper one when we're eighteen. _Eighteen_! How am I supposed to _live_ that long?"

They talked about news of their lives - though really, she hadn't had much to say and he didn't seem to want to say anything about his time as a guard - their family, their interests (though she was uninterested in fencing herself, she liked it that he was so enthusiastic about something, and it was nice for him to have someone who genuinely wanted to hear what he said), any books that they read (unsurprisingly, Harry struggled with this, and they quickly changed the subject) and any cool pranks that they did (Harry had filled a teacher's boots with milk, and the duke's secretary, who was one of Em's few friends in Richmond, simply couldn't find his stationary set _anywhere_). Charlie came in at one point, looking very confused.

"We're still friends, right?" he asked her innocently.

"Of course she isn't," Harry snapped at him.

"Yes I am," she said, glaring at Harry. "Charlie is a very sweet boy. Apologize to him."

He looked taken aback. "But-"

"Harry, do you want me to _stare _at you again?"

He gulped. "Sorry, Charles."

"Good," she said, satisfied. "See you later, Charlie. I think it's way past your bed time." The Kacheek nodded and walked away sleepily, mumbling something about finding Mrs. Daley to tuck him in.

Harry shook his head in wonder. "Why that weird little kid has _anyone _who likes him, I'll never know."

"Harry!"

"What? He really is weird. Probably would fit right in with little Hazel."

"Hazel? Who's Hazel?" Emerald asked. "Someone related to Ebony?"

He chuckled. "I'll say. She's his sister."

For a moment, she gaped at him. "I thought her name was Violet."

He burst out laughing. "Aw, Emmy! Don't you know? He has _two _sisters. Hazel was born the same year as Charlie was." He shook his head. "Once you've met both of them, you'll _never _mistake them for each other. They're just so different. Hazel is all meek and obedient – a lot like what Ebony's mother is nowadays – while Violet is all…" He shook his head. "She's a lot like Ebony, in a lot of ways. Fiery. Unpredictable. But unlike him, she doesn't try to control herself or think about each move before she makes it. Completely reckless—though I can't say anything to her about that."

Emerald forced a smile, trying to hide that she was stung. He didn't mean to hurt her, she knew. But she couldn't help be a little sad that Harry, who actually was _working,_ knew more about her best friend's life than she did. "You two get along?"

"Heck, no. Put us in the same room and we start bickering immediately. She's got Honey's looks, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if she turns out real pretty, even though she has a sharp tongue. Good luck to her father trying to find a husband for _her._"

He checked the clock.

"Nearly time to leave the ball, Cinderella?" Emerald teased him lightly.

He looked regretful. "Yeah. Sorry. The Captain only let me have three days off, and I'm supposed to go back tonight so I can reach there by tomorrow afternoon. But you come back soon to Brightvale, okay? We all really miss you." He hesitated. "Especially Ebony. It isn't really my business, but I think he needs you right now."

"You know I'd love to be there for him, Harry. But if I can't…just remind others about Rule Number One." She referred to a set of rules they made up together the first time they visited, the set of rules which they swore that, no matter how older they got or how different they eventually become, they would always abide by.

He smiled. "Sure. I'll do that. Take care of yourself, little midget." Before she could protest at that again, he was gone.

* * *

><p>It was the last happy day she'd have for a long, long time. The next day, Emerald was recalled to Richmond.<p>

* * *

><p>Five years.<p>

Nearly five years of being cooped up in a stuffy castle, always having to observe propriety, always having to mind her manners. Oh, she didn't hate it. She actually liked going around in court, being the centre of attention once in a while - even if only they considered her as a possible chess piece – instead of being constantly ignored by…some people. And she loved Ekanite, her father, and Tessa (who, since she had given her father's greatest desire, knew she was going to stay). She'd _finally _grasped the importance of presentation, too; she now understood what Ebony meant that dressing up differently actually _will_ get people to treat her differently, and from then on she wore gowns and rich clothing without a murmur (and yeah, she had to admit…she had begun to like them as well).

But it was also five years since she had seen her friends all together. Since Harry, she'd managed to make an occasional trip to Brightvale by visiting Sapphire, but they were only for a few hours for so, a day at best, but no more. Charlie had eventually moved there, and she enjoyed seeing him and how he became more and more grown up as he got older. Ivy was as sharp-tongued and skilful as she ever was, Azure always unfailingly polite, Harley always with the eloquent speech, and Cerise (their new little sister) a true trickster in the making. Hawk was doing all right, too, but she had the impression that he was kind of lonely—although he had his own group of friends, she'd still catch him looking wistfully at the direction of Ivy's workshop.

She'd also managed to finally and truly meet the other members of the Adonai family. Harry's description of them was completely correct. Hazel…Emerald didn't know what she thought about the girl with the big brown eyes. She was friends with Charlie, and Emerald was glad about that, but…she didn't know. Something put her off about the girl, and it seemed the same was true vice versa. It's not like they hated each other or anything, but they always made a point of staying away whenever Emerald came to visit.

When she had first met Violet, she had been six and the little girl was just a new-born. Now, she was thirteen, and little Violet was six and as fiery and as pretty as Sapphire told her to be. She had no recollection of Emerald, but they had become fast friends—and why not? As Harry had said, she was quite a bit like Ebony, and had his talent of melting even the icy cold aura Emerald sometimes thought she had about her. She seemed awfully impressed that Emerald was friends with her brother, who she said seemed to be playing more and more boys-only games lately (though she loved him anyway, the little girl conceded). Emerald completely won her over by presenting her with a hair kit and letting Violet braid her own hair.

But Harry, she had never seen since that day at the Windsor family reunion.

As for Ebony, the whole five years had elapsed since she'd ever so much had a glimpse of him.

She truly was lonely. And bored. She supposed those two were the driving force in her sudden urge to be rebellious (she truly hoped there wasn't _really _anything in Tessa's talk that now she was a teenager, she might find her emotions a little difficult to handle—and as she enough of a short temper as it is, that was _very _bad news). That day, she had the urge to do something reckless. Her mind brought back the memory of once, when she was a little girl and was _supposed_ to stay inside because her aunt deemed the weather to be too bad, she had dressed up in her maid's clothes and ran off to play with her friends. No one had ever caught her.

Her lady-in-waiting had left her dress and shift in her room adjoining Emerald's.

The time was as good as any to try that trick again.

It was a crisp January day, and there was still snow in the courtyard. She couldn't help but smile at how _free _she felt, even though she had been this way many times. The guards didn't even recognize her; if she wanted to, she could even go out…She closed her eyes, trying to control herself, but the idea was too mad and exciting to _not _do. The guards opened the gate for her readily; one even gave her a small smile. Once she was actually outside, she couldn't help but laugh and do a little dance.

It had been five years since she had been this free.

She surprised herself as she wandered about the kingdom. It gave a little ache in her chest, she had to admit—she knew Brightvale and Meridell better than her own homeland. But that would soon change, she was determined at that. Perhaps Tessa could have a word with her father on her going around Richmond. Marcy did it often enough, and after all, she was a lot older than when her half-sister first made her debut appearance among the people. Not that they'd actually recognize _her, _Emerald admitted to herself. While her siblings made regular appearances, she was normally kept back.

Now, she wondered why.

She loved it, blending in the crowd; partly because she never truly blended in. An old baker smiled and gave her a free cheese-bun just because she looked cold. A little boy ran around playing tag with her. Two carollers, not quite yet ready to let go of the Christmas season, serenaded her with a song. An old lady even took her aside to tell her fortune. She told her that she was going to have a difficult path, make huge sacrifices, and end up wondering if the entire thing was worth it. "On the bright side," the lady said with a wink, "You're going to have a very interesting love life!"

Eccentric, the people of Richmond were.

Her undoing came when she stopped to see an old mill-house. She had never seen one before, and she was curious to see how it worked. An old, stooped Ruki who appeared to be working there saw her staring. "Evening, Miss," he told her. He looked at her hopefully. "Are you the help I sent 'fore? If so, I hope you know you're late by hours. It's going to come out of your pay."

Emerald found her voice. "I'm sorry, but I'm not the help."

"Blast it," the old man groaned, his smile melting away. "She's not going to show up now, that much is for certain." He looked tired. "There's a fella who comes and goes at times—gosh, wouldn't I wish he was here now? But darn it all, he's as unpredictable as the wind, shows up only at the last moment. And I can't _have _the last moment. It'll be hours before this thing's done."

"I can help, though," Emerald blurted out. He looked at her, surprised. "I mean, if you want me to. And if you teach me. I'm afraid I don't know how to do that very well."

He eyed her curiously. "Give me your hand," he told her. She did as she asked, thinking that this was probably a bad idea. What if he was crazy and did something? Fortunately, he only held her smooth palm up next to his own, gnarled fingers. "Huh. No calluses. M'dear, you seem to have never worked a day in your life."

She snatched her hand back. "I'm from the palace."

"Indeed," he acknowledged. "But I've 'ad girls from there come to my shop for cloth, and theirs were never this delicate. Well. I suppose you've simply got an easy job, haven't you?"

"Look, you don't need to accept my help," Emerald said, a touch angrily. "I do have a hard job, even if it isn't really hard labour. If you don't need-"

"I meant no offense," he told her gently, holding her shoulder. "We each have our place in the world, and indeed, you don't seem the type to laze about, like some other teenagers I can name. But this _is _hard labour, lass. Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

She gave a little laugh. "No, I don't know what I'll be doing, thank you. But I'm sure I want to help."

He broke in to a smile. "Well, I'll show you."

She spent the next few hours working in the mill: spinning cotton, managing the machines, dyeing the cloths, and finally, selling the products (or rather, holding the products up while the Ruki sold them). The old man was right—this was no easy task. But hey, if Ebony could do half the housework in his huge mansion and still have the wits to put up a fight in a chess game, if Harry could practice hours in sword fighting and still help her reach something too high for her, if Ivy could work on something for hours and fail but still be satisfied, if Hawk could stand being a loner and yet still friendly, if Harley and Willow, no matter what insults thrown at them, could always be polite—well, she could do this, too. She was glad that she didn't leave the old Ruki alone, either. She knew that as hard as she found it, he would've had it much worse if she didn't come along, with his old back and his nearly-blind eyes.

"Lass, you're a blessing," he said happily once they got everything done. He glanced up at the sunset. "Though I've kept you here for far too long. Is anyone expecting you?"

She bit her lip, thinking about it. She certainly hadn't planned to be gone this many hours; she definitely hadn't planned on being sweaty, tired, and colour-stained by the end of it. But for all that she was a duchess and one of the most high-ranking people in society, she also knew that she was the most invisible one of her siblings. Possibly, nobody had noticed she was gone, except perhaps her servant which she stole the clothes from. She doubted that the girl would tell, though; she'd be scared of the game. "I don't think so."

"Would you like to stay for dinner, then?"

"Oh, no," she said, turning red. "I mean, I don't want to intrude-"

"No intrusion," he said cheerfully. "Least I could do for helping me with the mill. I'm sure I was done for! Come on in." Before she could protest, he took her shoulders and gently pushed her inside, cutting off further remarks. The food was simple, but delicious: cheese on bread, with crackers. He even threw in a cup of borovan. Still, Emerald couldn't help but feeling guilty. It was clear the old Ruki lived alone, and he didn't seem like to have much that much. "You don't talk much, do you?" he said after a while.

"No," she said, turning red. "Sorry."

"Sorry?" he laughed. "What are you sorry for? Some people are quiet. All there is to it." He poured her more chocolate. "So, girl, you've been working for me with hours, and I still don't know your name. Your clothes are fancy, and yet you're humble enough to help an impoverished peasant on the side of the street. You look like you've never worked a day in your life, and yet you've been more diligent than any of the hands I've hired here. Forgive an old man for prying, but I have to ask…who are you?"

"Call me Em," she told him.

He chuckled. "Mysterious one, aren't you? All right, Em. If you're not going to say anything, why don't I fill up the silence with a little history about the mill?" She smiled and, taking that as a yes, the old man launched in to the account of the first Woodson man who saved up to start a business and decided to use it for spinning wool and cotton. After that, it got passed out down to his son, and then his son, and then on and on. Enthusiastically, he showed her some old relics of china pots and embroidery done by the Woodsons of the past. Then, he smiled. "It's all down to me now. My grandson – my son didn't want the mill, see – is going to turn seven soon. Once he turns fifteen, I'll give him the mill, and I'll be at peace," he said serenely.

"I thought you said that you were done for," Emerald reminded him. "Was that just an expression?"

His smile faded. "No. I'm afraid our dear Duke of Richmond has his heart set on tearing this place up to use for an estate. Too near Uptown, see?" He sighed.

She nearly choked. "The Duke?" Her father?

"Yeah. Everyone knows he's probably gonna be King someday, since his brother's not long for the world and _still _without an heir. Don't tell anyone I said that," he said hastily. Imagining the death of a monarch was treason, and punishable by death. "If, by some miracle, the Queen manages to give birth to one, I have to say, I can't imagine the baby living very long. Accident or no accident." He wrinkled his nose.

"That's a serious accusation," Emerald said quietly.

He smiled wanly. "Forgive a bitter old man for his words. But you already know how much this mill means to me—and he does too. But he still wants to destroy it. This is just an old mill, mind you; I'd just hate to see what he'd do with the entire kingdom in his hands. Are you all right, Miss? I haven't upset you?" He shook his head. "You look a little pale. That's the last thing I want to do, upsetting my little helper. It's all right now, though. My mill is saved; and I have the pleasure of saying so to His Grace himself, when he comes over."

Emerald made the little choking sound again. "He's coming? Here?"

"Aye," he said happily. "I can tell him to kiss this place good-bye now, thanks to you. Won't be long now—you can stay and watch, if you like."

She jumped up. "I'm sorry, Mr. Woodson, but I realize I've missed a previous engagement and-"

"Slow down, lass. What is it?"

She sighed. "I have to leave."

"Leave? But why?"

Before she could answer, a trumpet sounded, announcing her father's arrival. She squeaked. "I'm so sorry, but I have to get out of here. I can't let him see me."

He threw her an odd look. "You've a story to tell me, lass, but I see there's no time. All right. There's a cloak near the stove over there. You can put that on and sneak off; the Duke probably won't be much bothered about you."

"Thank you," she said, relieved, grabbing the cloak. She bent the hood way over her head. She crept out the doorway just as the Ruki opened the door. In spite of herself, she couldn't help but pause behind a tree to watch.

"Ah, Master Woodson," boomed her father's voice. As always, he was surrounded by a posse of servants, as well as a crowd of common people fawning over their Duke and wanting to see what happened to the man that defied him. "According to yesterday's report, you've failed to repay your debt." He gave him a thin smile. "I'm afraid it's time we have to repossess your house, and the mill."

"Not so fast," the Ruki said quietly. He took a leather pouch out of his pocket and handed it to the Duke. "There. That's all the money—every single penny of it, you'll see. Enough to repay all my debts."

Emerald watched on as her father counted the coins, his face turning redder by the neopoint. She couldn't help but think of him as a child—a rude, spoiled child who was about to throw a tantrum because he couldn't get what he wanted. "This is impossible!" he cried. "This report was taken _yesterday. _How in Neopia could you have gotten enough money to-?"

"I had help," said the old man. He glanced at Emerald's direction, but quickly looked away. "Now, if that's all, I-"

"Wait," the Duke snapped. "I forgot to mention: my bankers have miscalculated the cost of some of the acres of your land. I'm afraid you owe around three thousand more neopoints."

The old man stared at him. "You just made that up."

"That," the Duke said, "Is a serious accusation. Me, a duke, _lying_?" He laughed, and his servants laughed with him. Some of the peasants gave the man a sympathetic glimpse, but most were just shaking his head at his foolishness for trying to challenge a power so high. "We'll add a few more neopoints to that, shall we? You now owe _four _thousand neopoints."

"Your Grace," he pleaded. "Have mercy."

"I _am _being merciful," he pointed out. "When you leave this place, I assure you that it will be used to benefit the people."

"Benefit the rich people, you mean," he snarled.

The Duke eyed him. "Do you want to pay a visit to the prison, Master Woodson?" Numbly, the old man shook his head. "Then I suggest you keep your mouth shut." He turned around to the crowd. "Does anyone vouch for him?" he jeered. "Anyone want to offer him some money?" There was silence. Perhaps they all truly didn't have enough to spare; perhaps they were too scared of the wrath of the man who might one day be their future King. Emerald didn't know.

All she knew was that suddenly, she couldn't bear it. She raised her hand and stepped in front of the old Ruki. "I will." She fumbled around for a piece of jewellery – any piece – that she was wearing, and found a beautiful diamond necklace; one of the few keepsakes that she had of her mother. She knew it would easily pay for the debt, and then some. She felt a pang, parting with it, but she knew that her mother would understand. The mill was the man's _home._ She handed it to her father, taking care to cover her face. The Ruki gaped at her.

The Duke frowned at the diamond and handed it to a Chomby beside him. The Chomby nodded, probably confirming it was real. The Duke snatched it back. "This…this appears to have covered your debt," he said reluctantly. The old man's face broke in to a smile, but it wasn't over yet. The Duke was still examining the necklace. Suddenly, his face changed. "Arrest him and that girl!"

"What?" a guard asked, confused.

"This belongs to my daughter," he seethed. "I gave it to her own mother when we were courting, and I know she passed it on to her. They stole it. Arrest them."

The man tried to make a run for it, but the guards pinned him against the wall. Mr. Woodson groaned. His arm gave a sickening _crack._ "No!" Emerald cried, rushing towards them. "Let go of him!"

"I do not listen to thieves," the Duke said coldly.

"I am no thief, father," she said, taking off her cloak.

He stared. "Emerald? What are you doing?"

She ignored his questions. "That is my own jewel—one I give up, willingly, for the benefit of the old man and the mill. Please, father. Honour your bargain."

The Duke's face contorted with rage; she flinched, but kept her stare steady. He wouldn't really hurt her. She was his daughter, and he loved her, didn't he? Besides, the people were watching. He really did care of their good opinion—the majority, anyways. The odd ones like old men who wanted to save their homes did not matter to him much. But if it was shown that his own daughter wished for the mill to be spared…he sighed. "All right, Emerald." He gave a benevolent wave. "You're cleared," he told the old man.

For a moment, there was only tension as Duke handed the scroll – the fancy receipt, really – to the old man.

Then, a cheer broke out.

The people clapped and roared and waved at his kindness, and the Duke smiled. But Emerald noticed that his eyes were flashing, and she was going to have to face hell once she got home. She felt awful for disappointing him. It had been worth it, though. Her father began riding back to the palace, and she knew without him telling that he wanted her to follow him. She sighed and began to walk in the direction; then a gnarled old hand took her smooth one. "You're going to be in for it when you get home, ya know?" Mr. Woodson said, his tone filled with concern. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who saw the concealed anger. "You really the duchess Marcasite? I saw you once before, but I could've sworn you looked older. And blonde."

"No," she said, looking down. "I'm the Duchess Emerald. The other daughter."

"Really? Oh, my." He shook his head with wonder. "The mysterious girl. There are rumours about you, you know."

"Rumours?" He looked embarrassed, as if he wished he hadn't said anything. She gripped his hand. "What rumours? Please tell me."

"Well, lass, I never believed them. But some people think it suspicious, you never showing your face in public. People thought you might have an affliction, or was simple, some reason why he wanted to keep you away."

"Oh," she said in a small voice.

"But you're a lovely girl," he told her. "I'll not let anyone think otherwise from now on. You have my word on that." She conjured up a weak smile. "I'm forever grateful to you, Your Grace," he went on. "If you ever need me, my mill and I will always be welcome to you. Perhaps you'd like to come again some time—I truly would like a full account on exactly what happened. Mercy, I almost can't believe it."

She smiled at him, genuinely this time. "I'm afraid I can't, Mr Woodson. I…ah, I think he has a punishment for me lined up. It will probably involve sending me away. Again."

"He shouldn't do that," the old man said firmly. "The people would love you if they knew you, I'm sure of it—if only for your mam. She's sorely missed, you know." He bowed his head respectfully. "I'm much obliged to you, Your Grace. My mill and I are open to you any time." Then suddenly, he looked past her and frowned. "A tad too late, don't you think?" He shook his head. "This is the young fella who helps me at times."

"Sorry," said a yellow Lupe around his late twenties. He was handsome, with dark hair and an easy smile on his face. He wore a guard emblem on his shirt, and an odd array of weapons and tools on his belt. And he was blind. "I was going to stand up, you know—but this little lady here seemed to have it under control." He winked at her direction. She turned red.

"She certainly did," the old man agreed. "Well, I s'pse it's time to hit the hay. Not good to stay up too long with my old bones, see? So long, Your Grace."

The Lupe turned to her. "Did I hear right? Are you the duchess?"

She nodded; then, realizing that he couldn't see her, said, "Yes. I'm Emerald."

"Emerald," he repeated. "Lovely name. Do you know who I am, Your Grace?"

"No," she said slowly. She turned around and saw the company going away. Better make this quick.

"Would it help if I say the name 'Reynie'?"

"I've heard of it," she said sincerely. A flash of Tessa excitedly showing her a copy of the Neopian Times crossed her mind, but it was gone before she could get a grip of the memory. "But I can't remember."

He grinned. "It's probably best if you don't. What if I say I'm famous for being the only one who managed to catch a particular thief?"

"Sorry. Not ringing any bells." She turned around. "I really should be going-"

"No worries." He took a small hourglass from his pocket and flipped it. Emerald's eyes widened in amazement as people around her slowed down—and then simply stopped. "Useful little thing, isn't it?" Reynie said admiringly. "It gives you a full five minutes start, but no more than that; and it can only be used a few times. Ah, well. It's always bad to rely on magic too much, anyway."

"I'm sorry," she said, backing away. "I don't need you to catch any criminals for me."

He chuckled. "Oh, that's not my only job. I'm also a tutor."

"A tutor," she repeated.

"Mentor, teacher, guardian, whatever you prefer," he said carelessly. "But quite a different kind as the normally used meaning, as you can probably guess."

"How?"

"I teach _special _skills," he informed her. "Things that I think your case might need, however unusual. Also, if I'm really interested or you're in a really dangerous situation, I do some part-time spying on your foes."

"Thanks, but I don't have any."

"Really?" he said, looking at her with his eyes that couldn't look. "You don't have anyone who might wish you harm?" His gaze made her squirm; she thought of Marcy, the whispering ladies, neighbouring kingdoms, and even her father. "Thought so. And again, as you may guess, I only handle special cases. Important people—not necessarily rich," he added. "But, you know, I can't help all the kids in need in the world. So I only choose the ones whom I know can make a difference."

"You've got the wrong girl," she said tonelessly. "I'm mostly ignored—this is the first time I've ever gone out to public. Ask Marcasite or Ekanite. Besides, I don't have much social skills."

"But you have skills," he mused. "You might not realize it yet—but you're thirteen , right? I sense something in you, Emerald Navarette, and it's dying to come out. Probably this year." He smiled. "And anyway, would the two people you named stop to work all day for an old man and then put out their own neck to save his? I didn't think so. That's another thing which I constantly look for in my students, Emerald: Bravery."

She blinked.

"Anyway, I'll list you as one of my own. That okay with you?"

"I can't pay you anything."

"Of course not, Emerald. You pay me by trying to help others. I don't need money—That's why I do my other jobs." He bowed. "I'll check on you in a while, Your Grace. I think we'll have very interesting time together." With that, he disappeared in to a nearby wood. Time began turning again. She ran to catch up with it.

* * *

><p>"Emerald, what were you doing?" Tessa said, scandalized. She turned her around. "What are you <em>wearing<em>?"

"Sorry, Tess," Emerald mumbled.

"Sorry?" her father scoffed. "Sorry doesn't cover it, girl. You've gone too far."

"Now, dearest-" Tessa began.

"Don't throw that crap at me!" he thundered. Tessa took a step back. It'd been a long time since he had yelled at her, ever since she'd presented him with a son. "She's an ungrateful little wretch who went out of the palace to—to what? Incite rebellion?"

"No!" Emerald squeaked. "I…I just wanted to see Richmond."

"You _live _here."

"And I have never seen a bit of it until today!" she replied, her fear turning to anger. Why did he have to keep her from the people? Why couldn't she ever go out, like Marcy and Ekanite could? Why was she always hidden away like a dark secret? "As long as I've lived here, father, I've never truly _seen _this place until today. The places I've been sent I know better than my own home. Why?"

He glared at her. "If you think pulling off this…this stunt would make me let you see more of the kingdom, you are sadly mistaken, Emerald. Until you learn your lesson, you're not to come back here."

"What? But-"

"Dear," Tessa pleaded, "She hadn't misbehaved in a long time. Perhaps this is going too overboard."

Her father refused to be moved. "It's final."

* * *

><p>"You okay, Em?" Sapphire said, sliding in a seat opposite to her. They were in her cousin's library. In recent years, they've become much closer. Although Saph didn't know that much about her – much less than her old friends did – that didn't stop them for being friends and even writing each other at times. Sapphire knew how lonely she was, and the constant pressure she had to remain in her father's good side. Emerald knew how frantic her cousin was becoming at her nearing betrothal, and her desperate wish that it would be Lancelot. "Normally, you'd be off like a rocket to see your little group."<p>

"I don't really feel like seeing Ivy or Harley or Azure right now," she said wearily. "Nor do I want to play with the little kids. And I think Hawk's busy." Harry, as always, was in the guard—she was hoping she'd manage to catch him on a visit at some point, but he wasn't there now.

"How about that other Adonai boy?" Sapphire asked casually. "Ebony, his name was, I think."

Emerald blinked. "I haven't seen him in five years."

"No wonder," Sapphire chuckled. "His father's given him every tutor for every lesson imaginable for a rich kid. Fencing, mapping, dressing, manipulating…you name it. Plus, he also goes on to a lot of hunting trips. Poor guyhad to struggle quite a bit to keep up with everything—but, you know, he asked for you quite a bit. His look of frustration when I told him that he missed you by an _hour _was priceless one time."

"Used to?"

"Um, yeah. He kind of gave up around two years ago." She looked at her sideways. "But he's gotten very good at skills now. Rumour has it that his tutors can't keep up with _him._ So yeah, he probably has more than enough time to spare."

Emerald opened her mouth, and then closed it. _Five years._

That was longer than she'd ever been separated from her friends before. Would she even know how he looked like? He'd be fourteen now, passing his birthday just in December. The last time she saw him, he was nine. And what would she _say_? What would they _do_? They never had this issue before, back when they were kids. They simply did and talked about whatever they felt like; and it wasn't hard. But it'd been so long. She might not even know him anymore—and suddenly, the thought of that was too heavy to bear. She didn't want to know, at least not right away.

"Maybe later," she said quickly. "I think I will visit Charlie, after all."

Sapphire shrugged. "Suit yourself." Emerald gave her a thin smile as she stood up. She grabbed a cloak – green, naturally – and went out striding through the snow. Unlike before, it didn't give her a sense of freedom she used to have. She loved Brightvale, honestly. How could she not? She'd practically grown up here; she had friends who liked her not because that she was a duchess, but simply because she was Emerald. But she didn't _belong _there. Her trip to the mill had shown her that clearly enough. The place didn't need her, as Richmond did.

She walked to the place where she knew Charlie's mansion was – a cold, magnificent thing that she knew was his mother's choice – and knocked on the door politely. She held her cloak closer to herself, her breath turning to fog. It was snowing lightly again. Just as she was about to decide that Charlie wasn't here, the door flew open. "Can I help you?" said a kind, matronly voice.

Emerald turned around gratefully—and had to stifle a scream.

The old woman was a corpse. Oh, she wasn't a skeletal figure that was rotting from inside out, but she was a corpse all the same. She didn't know how she could tell. On the outside, the lady had kind blue eyes and a sweet smile. She had a plump figure and donned a matronly apron. Other people would think she was the kindly housekeeper; heck, she probably _was _a kindly housekeeper. But she was an dead kindly housekeeper—or at least one that should have been dead a long time ago. Emerald tried to control her voice. "I-I'm looking for Charlie…"

"He's off in the playground," she replied. "Why, child, you look so pale. Do you need to step inside to warm up a bit?"

"No!" she answered immediately, backing away. She nearly fell on the steps. "I-I just h-have to ghost…go! I have to go! Sorry!" With that, she hurtled away full speed.

The housekeeper blinked at the scene. "Not every day I meet someone who can see me by my true form," she mused. "She's going to be trouble, that one." She smiled faintly as she closed the door.

Emerald ran, not knowing where she was going, as long as it put as much distance between her and the old lady as possible. So of course, it was perfectly logical for her to bump straight in to a guy, toppling them both over in the snow and breathing hard. Of course, she was utterly mortified. Of course, she should get off him straight away, apologize immediately, and go home and put her face in a pillow for the sheer _embarrassment _of it all. But…she couldn't. She found herself staring in to two dark, intense eyes.

For a moment, the world stopped.

"Ebony?" she managed to squeak out.

He looked confused, for a second. She couldn't really blame him for that—after all, he'd just fallen headfirst in a pile of snow, and she could understand if he was a bit disoriented. Then he focused; his eyes seemed to take in hers, and he smiled. "The one and only. Did you finally come back after so long, Emmy?"

"Yes."

"Good." And for an absurd moment, they just stayed like that, grinning at each other. Then he squirmed. "I know you'd miss me, Em, and I did expect that you'd hug me in our next meeting; but I have to say, pushing me in to the snow takes it up too far, don't you think?"

"Oh, yes," she said, blushing. She stood up and brushed herself off, and he did the same. While he did, she took the opportunity to scrutinize him. He had changed, she saw. He'd grown taller, and it seemed that hours of sword practice and hunting had paid off—although he'd never be like Harry, his physique was pretty impressive. But she also saw glimpses of her best friend in those looks. His dark hair and eyes remained ever the same, as did that little, self-satisfied smirk on his lips.

"Now," he said when he was done. "Might I ask what you were running away from?"

"I wasn't running away," she protested feebly. He _looked _at her, and for a moment she had to wonder why people found _her_ stare so intimidating. "Okay, fine. Charlie's housekeeper."

"Mrs. Daley?" He seemed surprised. "She doesn't seem the type to scare people."

"Are you kidding? Can't you tell that she's-?"

"She's what?"

She tilted her head. How could he not see it? Either he was pretending (which she knew instinctively that he wouldn't do), she was going mad (possible, she supposed), or….didn't that Lupe, Reynie, say she'd discover some special talents this year? She closed her eyes. Oh, Fyora. If her special talent was seeing dead people, she'd rather not have it. "Nothing, I suppose. I just don't want to be around her."

He threw her an odd look, but he didn't press. "How're your family doing?" he asked. "I was glad that Tessa gave birth to a boy, and I guess you not spending so much time here meant that you were in your father's good side."

She bit her lip. She didn't want to remember her father's scathing glare as she made her way out of the palace. "Can we not talk about that, please? How's _your_ family? I met your sisters once when you were away. Hazel is…" She struggled for a word "Sweet. And Violet is as fiery as you are, I wager. Maybe we could play with them?" His smile vanished. "Um, just a thought. If you just want it to be the two of us…"

"It's not that, Em. Violet's gone."

"Gone?" She stopped in her traps.

"Yep." A dark look crossed his face, making him appear a lot like his father. "Joined the Guard."

She stared. Did she hear right? "Join the Guard?"

"Uh-huh. Check the rule books; apparently, there's nothing there that said a girl couldn't join, and the regular Guard accepted her without a second thought."

Her eyes dawned with understanding. "That means she's with Harry."

"I know," he said heavily. "Brilliant. First girl in the family to break the Tradition, and I'm _stuck _here." He kicked a stone.

"You still have Hazel."

He barked a laugh. "Em, please. Do _not _mention Hazel."

"Okay." She floundered for something else. "How about your mum?"

"Mother," he corrected stiffly. "And no, Emerald, I do _not _want to talk about her either." He saw her expression. "Sorry. I'm just a little bitter about it. I mean, everyone has something to do or a place to go or whatever, and I'm…well, I'm _bored._" He gave an exaggerated shudder. She laughed, and he smirked again. "But now you're here."

"Which makes everything all right."

"Which makes everything all right," he agreed, flashing her another smile.

* * *

><p>But things <em>had <em>changed, she knew. Not between them. He was still her best friend through it all, the person she trusted most in the world, the boy who loved chess games. But his other relationships were much more strained. A posse of boys fawned over him and, while she knew he liked being fawned over, she also couldn't see what he saw in these guys. His sisters, he refused to talk about point-blank. The worst, she observed, was his mother. He had gone from all but worshipping her to scorning her every move, glowering at the ground whenever she came near. He never helped at all with the housework any more.

"What happened?" she asked him, but he refused to say. "Come on, Eb. I'm your friend, aren't I?"

"So?"

"In my opinion, love's when two people utterly trust and are honest with one another."

"Love?" he said, snickering. "Ooh, so you _love _me, Emerald?"

"'Course I do. Not _that _way," she added, kicking him. He just laughed again. "Come on, Eb. Tell me."

"It's not a tale you'd like."

"Try me."

He told her. He was right—the story was bitter, sad, but by the end of it, she had a perfect understanding on what he was going through now. Although she disapproved quite a bit of it, she knew that she couldn't truly judge him; that's definitely not what he asked for. Besides, she isn't sure she wouldn't have felt exactly the same thing if she was in his position. All she could do was squeeze his hand. "Well, I'm here. So…" She said, lifting up a chess piece. "Now that you don't have an opponent, would you mind teaching me?"

* * *

><p>Unfortunately, their time was cut short.<p>

Ekanite got sick, and he begged her father for her to come back 'cause she always made him feel better.

While she adored her little brother, she almost could have strangled him for making her leave Ebony alone again. "I'll come back soon," she promised him.

* * *

><p>She was back a year later; a weary, long year later that had been spent taking care of her little brother, making her father happy, and receiving secret visits from the mysterious Master Reynie. Besides her father's secretary occasionally making an effort to cheer her up, the last one was probably the only thing that kept her sane. Her father refused point blank to ever allow her out of the palace; and so, the odd and interesting lessons the Lupe had given her had proved her only solace.<p>

Every few weeks, he returned, tutoring her in acting (depending on whether she had to act aloof or angry, she was both good and bad at that), throwing poisoned darts (he wouldn't tell her why she might need that, but she seemed to have a natural talent for it), sneaking around, mapping, forging, the works. At times she felt like a criminal, learning these things, but he just laughed. "Kid, I _know _criminals. Trust me. You're not like any of them." The only thing she refused to have him help her with was chess.

"I already have a teacher for that," she told him, and he didn't argue.

But now she was back in Brightvale, and she didn't waste any time to find Ebony. In fact, he found her first, both of them bumping each in to each other again and laughing. Two of the Adonai cousins were there, too—Ivy rolling her eyes, Harley grinning. She wasted no time on telling them her predicament, and the impossible task she needed to do by the end of the year.

"A coming-of-age ball?" Ivy scoffed.

"It's only for royalty," Emerald said wearily. "Be glad you don't have to have it. Anyway, my father's throwing one in my fifteenth birthday for a celebration that I am now officially in the marriage market. Not that it means anything," she said thoughtfully. "I'd always be a pawn in the royal games."

"Not if you learn how to play," Ebony reminded her. "I'm still teaching you chess."

She smiled. "Anyway, I got sent here along with a dancing tutor so Saph can show me how to behave. I need to watch a proper lady, apparently."

"Well, you can only be glad it's not Ivy," Harley piped up. His sibling punched him in the gut. "Ow! That hurt."

"Good." Ivy eyed her up in down. "Don't know why you need some schmancy-fancy ball anyway. You're already more mature than the rest of us—well, maybe not Azure, but at least you're _fun._"

She shrugged. "Well, I have no choice on the matter. Even if you're right with the manners, I still need to learn how to dance." The entire group shuddered.

"It sucks that Harry isn't here," Ivy remarked. "I mean, seriously—he's the _only_ one of us who can dance 'cause of all those stupid reunions his family makes him go to, and he's out there, up with the Guard! Maybe he'll visit soon."

"Harry can dance?" Emerald said, surprised.

"Sure. He looks marvellous in a tutu," Ebony said with a straight face. Emerald burst out laughing at _that _ mental picture. "Okay, yeah, he can dance. But that's nothing we can't help you with, right?"

"You will never be short of dancing partners," Harley promised.

"And you get to visit a lot more, right?" All of the Brightvale kids stood still, looking at her hopefully.

She grinned. "Yes."

And so the year passed with a flurry of visits—for she did visit, every single month. During that time, the rich kids had an interesting revelation: The one thing that Emerald Navarette and Ebony Adonai both were mutually _horrible _at was dancing. Again, and again, and again, they trod on toes ("I will _never _dance with you again," Ivy swore to Ebony), tripped ("That hurt more than Ivy kicking me," Harley remarked to Emerald), and stumbled over the simplest steps ("Let's take a break," Azure moaned, rubbing her temple). But if there's one trait they shared, it was sheer determination. They both refused to allow dancing to defeat them, and they practiced every day they could. Harry came and went, trying to help them, but he was never the most patient teacher and usually gave up and just called out usually unhelpful tips as they practiced ("Try pointing your toes _inwards _– I heard that! No, I am NOT a ballerina!").

The younger kids – Charlie, Cerise, Hazel – generally stayed away from this oddness, but that was all right. The only member of their original group not present from their little sessions was Hawk: and all of the Brightvale kids save Ivy were dead set in not letting him get close, much to Emerald's sadness. She didn't want to exempt Hawk from Rule Number One; but it appeared she had to.

But all of them enjoyed it, spending time together in this mutual activity, when they had spent so long apart. At long last they were all together, and even they stumbled and tripped, they were still laughing, exchanging stories and tales. It almost seemed like old times again.

And eventually, their hard work began to pay off. Emerald began twirling properly. Ebony finally gotten the hang of the butterfly dance (although he still insisted it had a stupid name). Harley, Ivy, Harry, and Azure, who had been practicing with them, had better skills, too. By the end of the year, they were all efficient in moving in with the music, and mastered all of the dances.

Except one.

No matter how hard they tried, the Rosen Dance simply wouldn't be learned. It mocked them as they watched countless videos on how to do it; on the television, it seemed so _easy, _but the truth was far, far, harsher. It required precise timing and the most rigid movements—unlike the waltz, which allowed either of the party to daydream, or the volte, which at least let them have _some _freedom. It also required a crucial lift, with the boy holding the girl high, the girl's only support with her hands resting on the guy's shoulders, holding that position for a few seconds, and then slowly going back down.

Still, they practiced, and eventually – eventually – they got most of the steps right. But the lift was still _impossible _for Ebony and Emerald to do. Each time they tried, Emerald toppled sideways, or Ebony accidentally bent forwards, and they would "crash and burn," as Ivy phrased it. They always laughed it off, but as Emerald's birthday came closer and closer, the pressure turned on and they were much more frantic.

In their last practice, Emerald entered the Adonai mansion with a cold feeling at the pit of her stomach. Later today, she would start traveling to Richmond. Tomorrow night, her fifteenth birthday, it would all be over. The other kids had already said their good-byes—they were all busy today, so it would just be her and Ebony. She opened the door the sitting room; and found her friend frowning over the chessboard, completely absorbed in the game.

She was always fascinated when she saw him do that; the way he was so utterly focused on what was in front of him, his dark, intense eyes brimming with concentration. She wondered, sometimes, how the chess pieces felt being the object of his gaze. She hated having to pull him out of his reverie. Quietly, she tapped him on the shoulder, and he started. He gave her a brief smile. "Shall we begin?"

They began with the Rosen Dance straight away, them already being pretty much perfect with all the other dances already. At first, it appeared to be going well. Ebony bowed, and Emerald curtsied. She twirled inwards, and he swept her out. They moved across the floor gracefully, both fixated on the steps, both so engrossed with what they were doing that they didn't hear a girl come in. Just as they were about to do the lift, a voice said in a sly tone, "If you wanted a dance partner, Ebony, you should've asked me."

At once, Ebony's step faltered, sending both of them tumbling to a heap. Emerald looked up to see a Cybunny with long, golden hair and pink, full lips standing against the wall. Ebony stood up immediately, a grin on his face. "Nimue! I-uh…We were just practicing."

"For what?" she asked suspiciously.

"Emerald's coming-of-age ball," he replied. "She's an acquaintance of mine." Emerald was taken aback by her best friend's cold introduction. "Emerald, this is, uh, Nimue. My girlfriend." He gave the girl a huge smile, his eyes on hers.

"Oh" was all she could say. _Of course _he had a girlfriend. How could he not? He _was _ good-looking….and charming…and clever….more than a few times, she'd seen other girls flock to him and cooed over her amazing he was before he slammed the door on their faces. But she never actually thought that one would win him over. Now, she felt stupid for not thinking of the possibility. What was she expecting, him to stay alone until the Tradition forced to marry? He wasn't the type of guy to wait like that, and she knew it. So why did she feel so hollow?

Before she knew what she was doing, she stepped back. "I don't feel like practicing now. You two can go on ahead."

He whirled around. "What? But, Emerald-"

"It's okay. I think I've learned enough to be all right. Thanks a lot." She turned around and began walking towards the hallway. What was _wrong _with her? Of course it wasn't all right. She almost wished she wasn't so hasty—but when she turned around and saw the girl grabbing Ebony by the collar and bringing him to another, darkened room, her intent clear, she didn't regret her choice and quickly made her way back to her aunt's mansion. Sapphire raised her eyebrows in surprise about her being back so soon – in fact, if anything, she expected Emerald to be late – but she gave no comment.

Emerald was soon picked up by Carlos the driver, and she was whisked back to Richmond Castle without an apology or good-bye.

* * *

><p>The next night, Emerald found herself donning a beautiful silken dress made out of a deep green with jewels adorning it. Tessa smiled when she twirled her around; but the smile quickly turned in to a frown when she saw the mood her stepdaughter was in. "What is it, my dear? Did they give you blue shoes again?" Her attempt at a joke fell flat when she Emerald's sad expression. "Is something wrong?"<p>

She hesitated—but she needed to confide in someone. "A friend of mine," she confessed. "We, um, sort of had an argument. I don't know exactly what it was, but...I walked away. I didn't have a chance to tell him good-bye or anything." She honestly did not know what had happened, why she had done such a foolish move on the day she wanted her best friend's encouragement and support more than ever. Maybe the nervousness had gone to her and she had a brief attack of the crazies. She didn't know. All she knew was that it was her fault, and the guilt was eating her alive. "Never mind. You probably think it's stupid."

"Not at all," Tessa told her. "It's always hard to quarrel with your friends. Come here. I think I have something to make you feel better." She took Emerald's hand and led her to her room. There, Tessa took a small little box from a cabinet. She opened it. Inside was the most beautiful tiara Emerald had ever seen, studded with pearls and jewels as luminous and lovely as green tears. She touched it with awe. "For you."

"Oh, Tessa, I can't-"

"It doesn't belong to me, Emerald. It belonged to your mother." She smiled. "She left it in her old room, hidden. It was accompanied by a note—here."

_Stranger,_

_I know not who you are, only that you are most likely a foreign princess or other nobility that my husband has wed after my death. Well. I wish you have better luck than I did. I do not shudder at my inevitable, coming demise, though make no mistake that I do not celebrate it. It is a means to peace at last, I suppose. I do, however, regret on leaving my daughter, the most precious jewel I had ever had. Please, give this note and this crown to her on her fifteenth birthday. The age when she becomes a woman—when she finally understands._

_Emerald, if you're reading this, then please know that I never wanted to leave you. But know also that I never could have stayed. There are so many things I want to say; but then, I suppose I can only truly express it in three words: I love you._

_I hope that, no matter what happens to me, you will never hesitate to say those words._

_Good luck._

Emerald felt a lump in her throat. She closed her eyes, trying not to cry. Tessa simply patted her hand. "Let's put this on, shall we?" she said, placing the tiara on Emerald's hair. "There. You look lovely." She glanced at the clock and squeezed her stepdaughter's hand. "It's time."

* * *

><p>"Welcome, honoured guests. It's with delight and happiness I greet you tonight in my honoured duchess and daughter's fifteenth birthday, and I am grateful you took the trouble to be here this evening. I know some of you celebrated the first year of her life with me. I am blessed to have seen her grow up from but a baby in a cradle to this beautiful, striking young woman-"<p>

On and on and on. Emerald twisted her gloves, forcing herself to beam at the guests happily as her father rambled on with a speech he'd been practicing for around two weeks.

She closed her eyes briefly, trying to shut off the rising panic building in her chest. She'd been in hundreds of parties before, of course. She knew the art of smiling just so, knew how to greet courtiers of different stations, knew how to keep up a mood of gaiety when she was almost falling over exhaustion of having to pretend. But this…this was different. Now, _she _was the main event, the thing that everyone came for. Worst of all, she had to _do_ something, and something that, until a few months ago, she was completely awful at—dancing. She wasn't ready. She couldn't go. She just couldn't-

"But now, I'm afraid I've talked far too long. Let the dancing begin!"

She was lucky that the applause hid her whimper of terror. She took a deep breath, closing her hand over a familiar little ruby ring. _No. _ She _was _going to live through this, she _was _going to make a good expression, she _will _see Ebony again, and she _will _apologize for her horrible behaviour. Despite Tessa's advice to keep eye contact with her partner, she could help but keep her gaze down at the floor as the first person – probably a courtier – went straight up to her to ask her to dance.

So, of course, she was shocked when a familiar voice said, "May I have the honour of being your first partner for the night, Miss?"

Her head whipped up. "_Harley_?" she almost shrieked.

He smiled and made a shushing gesture, and then took her hand as he led her to the dance floor. Fortunately, she wouldn't be the only one dancing, though the spotlight would still be on her. "Rule Number One, remember?" he said quietly. "We're not about to let you face this alone. Me and Ivy – well, mostly Ivy – nagged at our friends' and our own relatives yesterday until we were allowed to go. We're all here!"

"All?" She wanted to ask, but the music began and they were forced to stop talking. Luckily, it was a simple waltz, and she got it right perfectly. They were partners for three dances afterwards; then, in the short break that ensued, he bowed and let go of her. "Sorry, Em," he apologized. "If I danced with you all night, people would think you're _favouring _me." He winked. "Don't worry. There's another guy who'd be glad of an opportunity to dance with you." He turned her around.

"Hi, Em."

"Harry!" She couldn't help but grin, despite her disappointment that he wasn't whom she had hoped for. "I thought you were in the Guard."

"They let me have a night off," he explained as he took her hand. ""Sides, I'm rich. They'd do just about anything for a donation from my parents. To be honest, I'm really looking forward to going back."

"Why?"

"Haven't you heard? We've recently locked up this thief called Masila, though she's in some Faerieland prison right now. I took a few turns of guarding her; man, that lady is _scary._"

"Masila? The Mistress of Double-cross?" She shook her head in amazement. For a moment, she couldn't help but envy Harry on having an opportunity to meet her. Not that she _wanted_ to get killed, but she had heard quite a few stories about the woman, and she would have loved to question her about them herself. "It could have been worse, dearest. It's not like she had a personal vendetta on you-" She noticed his reddening cheeks. "Did she?"

"Sort of." He looked embarrassed. "I…uh…I kind of upset her nephew."

"Her nephew," she repeated.

"Um, yeah. Look—it turns out that Masila has this sister called Marie, who's the mother of a guy called Sam in my group. Us two, we didn't really get along. Possibly jealous of my awesome skills."

"Possibly," she agreed with a smile.

"So, I guess the guy sic his auntie on me, 'cause the first time I entered the dungeons she told me that if I ever dared do anything to her nephew again she would…" He screwed up his face, thinking of the exact lines. "Oh, yeah, I got it. She would throw me in a cellar infested with carnivorous slorgs and let them eat away my very being. Then, she'd take my remains, burn them, and make my bones in to jewellery for the people of Tyrannia." He shrugged. "I didn't really mind her, though. I figured she had other things to worry about than some guard guy."

Emerald smiled slightly. Only Harry would wave such an ominous threat away as if it didn't matter—but she was anxious for him. If there's one thing she knew about Masila, it's that she never gave up until she got what she wanted: even if it was petty as _severely_ punishing a teenager. "It doesn't seem fair," she remarked, resentment in her voice. "You upset some guy, and he's off hiding behind the skirts of some scary relative. And he's a _guard._" She shook her head. "Do you want me to talk to him?"

"What? Aw, Em, no!" he said quickly. "I…er, I can defend myself."

"Still, if he let his aunt issue a death threat on you for no good reason-"

They were interrupted with the sound of music starting, and once again, it was time to dance. This time, it was a fast song, filled with quick beats, and accompanied by very hard moves. It was a good thing that it was Harry who was dancing her, she supposed. It was unbelievably difficult for her to twist and twirl around like the routine commanded her to do as well as remember all the steps, but Harry managed to do half her work for her and whispered to her what she had to do while gently pulling her this way and that to gently remind her where she should go. After around four more songs to this torture, she was utterly grateful to him, but he waved it off with a smirk. "It's _fine, _Emmy. Now you just need to get through one more song and you're allowed to withdraw."

She didn't return his smile, her nervousness apparent again. "That's the Rosen Dance." The most difficult one, and the one she didn't practice properly for the most _ridiculous _reason….heck, she still didn't know what the reason _was…_She drew a breath and tried to grin again. "At least you'll help me out again, right?"

Instead of nodding and showing off, like always did, he shook his head regretfully. "Sorry, Em. You know that four-song limit on the favouring? We reached it, if you didn't notice. Besides," he continued, "Ebony would probably kill me if I didn't let him have this dance."

Her spirits rose, a tad bit. "Ebony?"

"The one and only," said a voice behind her, and she turned around. To her relief, he was smiling, albeit a slightly forced one. "May I have this dance, Your Grace?" He leaned in closer and whispered, "Please, Emmy! Ivy threatened to dance with me and trod on my toes if I didn't talk to you right now."

She giggled. "All right, my lord."

Harry sighed. "I guess that means _I _have to dance with Ivy again, don't I?"

"Pretty much."

"The things I do for my friends," he muttered as he stormed past them.

Emerald laughed again, but more nervously now that she and Ebony were alone. Well, not _alone. _They were in the middle of a ballroom, after all. Still, as their friend left the familiar comfort he gave quickly vanished like the wind. She coughed slightly, for once not knowing at all what to say to him. Inwardly, she quaked, thinking she was about to be confronted about her running off for no real reason. She was saved that, though, when he had a glimpse of her hand. "Is that the ruby ring I gave you?"

"Yes," she replied, turning slightly red. What was wrong with her? He was just asking a simple question, and she was giving an honest answer. "I…um, I wanted to have something that reminded me of my friends."

"Good thing we were all here tonight anyway, right? So you didn't need it."

"I did. I mean…" She turned even redder. It was as if his inquiring eyes were scorching her from inside out. "I thought you weren't going to come. I haven't seen you all night."

"That might have to do with me ducking out of sight whenever I thought you'd look my way," he said, chuckling slightly. "I guess I was a little confused with what happened yesterday." She wanted to turn away and bury her face in her hands, but he just held them tighter, and now she was positively burning. "But if you think I'm letting _one _little argument keep me from helping you with the dance we've worked and sweated for all year, then you've got the wrong guy, Emerald Navarette. Let's just forget about it for now, okay?" He gave her a winning smile.

"Okay," she said, smiling back.

With that weight off her shoulders, Emerald felt free again, though still a little nervous. This was the last new dance they would do—the rest of the night will be devoted to repeating the party's favourites. Because of the level of difficulty, the Rosen dance was usually skipped over; but tonight, she had to do it. At least, she supposed, she didn't have to do it alone. In the corner of her eye, she saw Azure and Harry stepping in the dance floor; with Ivy dragging two bewildered couples and a random, rather lost boy with her. In front of her was Ebony, her best friend. She had all she truly needed.

So she turned and she twirled and she spun, as the dance demanded, and what do you know, she was good at it. _More _than good at it. To her absolute surprise, for the first time since she had been practicing for this stupid ball, she was actually having _fun _dancing. The music and herself wove around each other; she couldn't help but laugh at how she thought she might make a fool of herself. She glanced upwards. Her father was watching her along with Tessa, proud smiles on their faces. Ekanite, who really _was _too young to stay up this late but didn't care, waved at her. As she twirled outwards, she waved back.

Then came the lift, and suddenly, her laughter died. All her fear slammed back in to her. She tried to keep her outward appearance calm, tried to smile and act nothing was wrong, tried to keep breathing normally. She twisted around and put her hands in Ebony's shoulders, and felt his tighten around her waist, just like she was supposed to. But she wasn't _that _good of an actor yet. "Emerald," she heard Ebony say to her. "Look at me."

She obeyed.

For a moment, she had to wonder if Master Reynie was back with his hourglass again, because once more, she felt time stop. Her breath caught in her throat. She stared in to those dark, intense eyes, a million emotions and thoughts running through her, and she felt her cheeks growing hot. He'd never looked at her like that before, as if she was the only thing in the world, as if no one and nothing else mattered. For the first time, it wasn't a chess game that was the complete and utter focus of his attention; it was _her. _

And she was absurdly happy about it.

She was shocked when she realized that the lift – the move that she had been fretting over since the beginning of this entire thing – was over. Just like that. And they had performed it perfectly.

Trying to regain her wits, she smiled pleasantly at the applauding crowd and curtsied. Inside, she had a sinking feeling in her chess.

Finally, she'd figured out exactly what she was feeling when Nimue had pulled Ebony away from her. She had been jealous.

And just why had she been so jealous? A taunting voice in her head asked her.

Why had she been so offensive when Nimue swept in to the room and practically said that Ebony was hers?

Why had she been so mad and hurt and betrayed that she had stormed off without a second thought, despite her needing help from him?

Why had the idea of him concentrating on her and her alone made her feel so exhilarated?

Simple.

She was entirely, absolutely, irrevocably, profusely, and_ ridiculously _in love with Ebony Adonai. Fyora help her.

"Are you okay, Em?" he asked as they walked away from the dance floor. "You feel kind of warm." He pressed a hand on her forehead, giving her another fierce blush, which in turn made him frown. "Yep, definitely warm. Must be all the dancing. Come on, you need some air." He grabbed her arm like he always did and led her out in to the garden. She breathed out, letting the cool night air wash over her. She _did _feel a little better here. At least no one was watching them anymore. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" His voice betrayed a concerned tone, as if he thought it was his fault she was like this. Well, it _was_, but not in the way he probably guessed.

"No, not at all!" she said hastily. "It was great. Really! I mean, I can't believe we finally got it right. Just in time, too. For a moment I was panicking over there – and then…" And then he looked at her, and she had the biggest revelation of her life. But he didn't need to know that. "Well…I could honestly say it was the best dance I had in the evening. Really."

He smiled, and then rubbed the back of his neck in an embarrassed way. "Hey, we never really got a chance to talk about what happened yesterday. I've gotta admit…I was kind of confused. I mean, it would've only taken me a few minutes to get rid of her, and we'd be all set again. Then I realized why you were so mad."

"You did?" she asked faintly. Oh, she was _so _screwed.

"Yep. You were angry because I was using her." He look to the other direction, which was convenient, because he completely missed Emerald's growing smile of ecstasy. "I'm really sorry I didn't explain it to you, but it's not like I have choice in the matter, you know? It's what my dad wants me to do—pretty much what he'd been training me for since I was little." His tone turned bored. "He points to a girl with high social standing, and I charm her and reap the benefits. I know, it isn't really fair, but Em, it isn't like they tried to do the same to _me._ Even if they weren't doing it for the money, then it'd only be because…"

"Because you're so darn handsome?"

"Exactly!" Then they realized what he just said and burst in to laughter. "What? Can't a guy appreciate his own good looks?"

"Ebony Adonai, I swear, you are the _vainest _person on Neopia!" Not that she disagreed with him.

"Anyway," he said, regaining his serious tone, "I don't _want _to do it. If you believe me, I don't _like _doing it, either. I can't promise I'll stop, though." He looked at her remorsefully. "My dad would start to think something's wrong, and…well, I don't want to lose his approval. I promise I'll try to keep away my girlfriends whenever you're in Brightvale, though."

"So you really don't like Nimue?"

He stared at her. "No! Where'd you get an idea like that?"

"Well, she's pretty…blonde and blue-eyed and all…."

He snorted. "Please. She might look good physically, but come on. I would've thought you'd have a little faith that if I did _like _someone, it wouldn't be one of those shallow girls."

"You're right. It wouldn't." She frowned, wondering something. "How'd you convince Nimue you liked her, anyway? She may be shallow, but I didn't think she was easily deceived."

"She's not," he said sincerely. "I had a rather tough time getting through her, but in the end, I did. My dad gave me lessons of every kind, remember? Including acting. Turns out I'm a natural at pretending that I'm in love or angry or something like that. Seriously. The guy my dad hired taught me to stutter over things and trip and _blush _the right way. But if it came to being all aloof and polite and cold, I have a teeny bit more trouble." She chuckled; she exactly the opposite problem—though she had a feeling that acting aloof and cold was going to come in handy for her in the near future. "So…you're not mad at me anymore, right?"

"Nope," she said, smiling from ear to ear.

"Great." He smiled back. Then suddenly, they heard music coming from the inside. "Oh. You probably want to get back to your room now—this must've been exhausting for you." He sighed, his mood quickly whiplashing. "One thing I'm going to miss about this ball; you probably aren't going to go to Brightvale for quite a while again, huh?"

"At least I'll always know I have friends there," she said, holding up her ring. "And I promise to come as soon as I can...and it won't be five years, even if I have to steal my father's bank key and force him to let me come back to do it." She stood up, tugging on his arm. "Besides, the party isn't over yet. Dancing has actually turned out to be kind of fun. And I haven't spent that much time with you at all this evening, so…"

"Do you want to dance again?" he asked, amused. Her grin was all the answer he needed.

* * *

><p>Three hundred and sixty-one days later, Ebony Adonai was knocking, rather rudely, on the door to Emerald's room. "Em! Let me in!"<p>

"No."

"Well, come _out. _We're all worried sick for you."

"I'm fine, Ebony."

"Did you really think I was going to buy that?"

"No, but I expect you to _go away _and _respect my privacy_!"

"I did! I've waited outside for days, and you still haven't come out."

"What?" For a moment, there was a pause in their argument. "Sapphire – um, Guinevere – actually let you stay that long?"

"Well…not really _allow_…." Ebony said furtively. The lady had threatened to have the Uptown guards drag him out; to get around this, he walked out the front door and quickly entered again by climbing up a tree and going through the upstairs window, effectively continuing his siege and running to hide somewhere if he heard Emerald's cousin coming. "That doesn't change that I – we – want you to come out, though."

"Or what? You'll burn my room?"

He winced. He _knew _that she still wasn't over him burning Charlie's mansion. "Em, come on. We're friends, remember? I thought we promised we'd be honest with each other." There was no answer. He sighed. "It's about your dad, isn't it?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"You got sent back here too soon. With any other topic, you wouldn't mind discussing with me."

"Don't be so sure," she stated flatly, opening the door. He stepped inside, smiling slightly at her old collection of books, board games, and a familiar ruby ring in the corner. Although she had covered it with scarves, he could easily see she had been examining it. All his amusement, however, drained out of him when he saw Emerald's face. Her eyes were puffy, her cheeks red, as if she had been crying. Immediately, he stepped forward and hugged her, fortunately not noticing that her cheeks had turned even redder. "Thanks."

"What happened this time, Emmy?" he asked, sitting on the floor.

She twirled a lock of hair. "He was upset."

"Why? Did you do anything?"

"Not really. Not this time, at least. I was in a carriage with him, going to some meeting or another, when a village boy ran up and said he was going to celebrate my birthday with his grandpa and sister." She looked down. "Then, well, another villager heard it, and said something about me looking just like my mother. Someone else said that they'd love to see me around some more, and a lot of people agreed." She smiled ruefully. "The whole street was practically singing me praises."

"That must've been fun," he remarked, grinning. No matter what she said, he _knew _she loved compliments, even though she always had to act to ridiculously modest about it. "Where's the bad part?"

"As soon as we got down, my father accused me of conspiring to get myself more favour than my siblings."

"_What_?"

"That's pretty much what I said." She shook her head in frustration. "I don't need more favour than them! I just want to see the people more often. I made a mistake of telling him so, and he said…" She hesitated. "Oh, never mind. You don't have to hear this."

"Emerald Navarette, spill it or I will personally tell Harry to throw you in the dungeon until you do."

"Harry wouldn't do that."

"Um, yes he would," he said, a knowing tone in his voice.

"Let me rephrase that. He wouldn't do that to _me._"

"You're probably right. You still have to tell me what happened, though."

"He cancelled the celebration for my sixteenth birthday." She hid her face, not wanting to let him see how hurt she was by this. It's stupid, really. It was just a party—she shouldn't be _that _upset about it. "Said it was too public for his liking."

"And so he sent you away once more," he said sympathetically.

She nodded. "Why, though?" She stood up and started pacing around the room. "_Why? _We never get to spend time together, and I just want to get to know the people in my kingdom." She knew that this was a point Ebony and her disagreed on – that she actually cared about her people's welfare – but she ploughed on without interruption. "Marcy and Ekanite are always out and about, and the people adore them. I don't need to have what they do, but that doesn't mean I should be cooped up inside all the time."

"No," he agreed slowly. "It doesn't. I think I have theory about that."

She immediately stopped pacing. "What is it?" she asked eagerly.

"Well…have you ever considered the possibility that he doesn't _want _the people to like you?"

She stared at him. "What?"

"Just think about it, for a moment. Ekanite is his main heir. On the slight possibility that he dies, Marcy will inherit…but you know that some people challenge that she is a worthy ruler. Some might think that maybe _you _might be the better alternative."

"That's silly," she denied. "I have no idea how to rule a kingdom."

"You're an excellent leader, though." He smiled. "Had all of us eating out of the palm of your hand when we were kids. And now."

"That's madness, Ebony. I could never rule anything."

"But-"

"Ebony!"

"Fine. But you're just putting yourself down," he muttered. "Either way, he might feel threatened that you might start a rebellion. And Em, I don't know how to say this, but he might be making sure that the people wouldn't miss you too much if you need to be…."

"Be what?"

"Disposed of."

She stared at him numbly as the full meaning of his words became clear. "No!"

"Em, I-"

"He wouldn't _do _that. He's my father, he wouldn't do that-"

"He's disposed of people he cared about before, you said so yourself-"

"No! This is different."

"He did it to your mother-"

"How did you know that?" she cried, spinning to meet him. He lowered his gaze. "How do you know that? Who've you been listening to? This is just idle gossip. My mother caught an illness in the Tower before the case could be resolved, and-"

"And even if that's the case, he could have sent healers to help her-"

"No! I refuse to believe that. He's my father. He _loves _me."

He opened his mouth and closed it. If it had been anyone but Emerald – anyone- he would've been glad to disillusion the person. If her father really loved her, why did he send her away? Why did he lock up her mother in the Tower in the first place? For years, he'd observed Em's only living parent, and he didn't like him one bit. He treated Em just like his father did to him; if he wasn't Black's only pride and joy, and if he was still under the notion that his father would care a fig about him if he didn't meet his very ideal of a son. But this was _Em_, who didn't have many people who really cared about her in Richmond. He _couldn't _tell her the truth. "Yeah. Sure he does, Emerald."

"Right." She didn't like the sceptical tone of voice. "It must be something else."

"Of course." An awkward silence descended them.

"I suppose you've got what you wanted already?" she asked after a while. "Information. Me opening up."

"Em, what I _wanted _was to cheer you up. I can see I'm not going to manage that today, though." He leaned close to her, and once again, she was appreciative he couldn't see how red she was becoming. Throughout the last year, she had hoped to catch his attention to something other than a childhood friend; being more forward with him, pulling him away from the group, walking with him alone….and it _might _ have worked, except for two things. One was her ever-frustrating separation and distance between visits.

Second was that it appeared that he really _couldn't _think of anything other than a friend. He seemed to think of it as a joke; a fun game that she was teasing him with, and one that he willingly played along with. He pretended to mumble shyly. He made himself flush whenever she drew near. Like he said before, he was a marvellous actor. She couldn't – wouldn't – correct him outright, because doing that would put everything in line, including their friendship. Whatever else she might break or give up over the years, she couldn't lose that. Not for anything in the world.

"I'll be back," he whispered in her ear.

* * *

><p>"Wakey-wakey, little Miss Sunshine!"<p>

"Go away, Ivy." Emerald stayed in her bed, lying face-down in her pillow.

Ivy tutted. "Tsk, tsk. It's usually Ebony we need an army to wake up, and he rose bright and early for this occasion."

"What occasion?"

"Your sixteenth birthday, of course! And _we _are going to help you get ready for it," she heard the voice of Cerise say. "Or do we have to bathe you in uni poo?"

"Ugh!" With a moan, Emerald propped herself up on the bed. The Adonai sisters were looking at her with huge smiles. In their hands were various instruments of torture—combs, brushes, earrings... "Guys, you don't have to do this. It's not like I have anything special planned for today."

"But we do," Azure said, turning her around. She inspected her with an artist's eye and nodded. "Okay, let's get you in to shape. We need to brush your hair in to place – wish Violet were here, but Cerise will have to do – get you a suitable dress, but some lipstick on-"

"I refuse to wear makeup," Emerald grumbled, her arms crossed. "Or any jewellery, either."

"What about this?" Cerise said, holding up the ruby ring. "It's very pretty."

"Okay, that," she conceded. "But anything else, no."

Azure looked ready to argue, but Ivy held up her hand. "If that's what'll get the duchess to cooperate, I say we do it."

"Fine by me," Cerise voted. Their older sister groaned, defeated. "Besides, Em doesn't need makeup. Now, let's get you all fancy. You're going to _love _your birthday present."

_What I would love for a birthday present, _Emerald thought inwardly, _is for someone to convince Hanso to be my ally. _It was rather irritating, really, to have to do anything in her power to get a kid years younger than her to be her ally. Just before the last time she visited, Master Reynie popped up and said it'd be _much _to her advantage if she could get the thief on her side. He had never failed her before, so she took up the challenge; but she had to admit, getting him to trust her was harder than she thought.

She held still as Cerise carefully combed her hair, twining them in to soft ringlets. For a moment, her mind drifted to the memory in which her mother was the one who had done the brushing as they sat on her bed, but she quickly waved it away. Azure was sorting through her clothes, trying to find a nice outfit. She had packed hastily; she had been much too upset to actually choose what she would bring to Brightvale this time, and even if she wasn't, she doubted that she would bring a party gown anyway. Still, the elder Adonai girl managed to scavenge a dress of velvet crimson, which would match her ring perfectly. She also quickly picked out a pair of shoes.

"So what are you going to do?" Emerald asked Ivy, who had been leaning against the wall looking bored the entire time.

"My job," the Wocky girl replied, "Is to get you to smile."

"And how do you propose to do that?"

"Good question," Ivy said, giving Emerald a pair of glasses. "Put them on."

Emerald obeyed, and blinked. Nothing changed. "Ivy, what's it supposed to-Oh!" She took one look at Cerise and Azure, who had glimpsed upwards to see what was going on, and burst in to laughter. Their heads had grown two times their normal sides, making them grow in to bobble-heads.

"I knew it'd work," Ivy said triumphantly. "Mission accomplished. Consider that as my birthday present, 'kay, Emmy?" Emerald took her glasses off, still smiling.

Suddenly, Guinevere/Sapphire's head popped in the doorway. "It's ready."

Harley waved from the hall. "Your ball awaits, milady."

"Brilliant." Cerise grabbed Emerald's hand and began pulling her downstairs.

Emerald laughed, wanting to humour her; but the grin was wiped off her face – replaced by awe – when she saw the ballroom. It was as if someone had transformed the place in to Emerald City. Plants, their finest in the spring, were put inside. Someone replaced the crystal chandelier with an emerald one. Even the cake was shaped like her namesake. She couldn't help but giggle in the irony that, since she was wearing red, she was the most un-emerald thing in the room. "It's beautiful."

"Glad you like it," said a voice next to her.

She smiled at her best friend. "Did you seriously do all of this for me?"

He nodded. "With a little help from Ivy, but all she did pretty much was point to where everything was supposed to go and say 'figure it out for yourself.'"

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" his cousin said huffily.

"But where did you find the time?" she questioned.

"It's amazing what you could do working through the night with multiple cups of coffee," he told her, stifling a yawn.

"You stayed up _all night_?" she said with widened eyes.

"Oh, no. I slept around four o'clock."

Emerald glanced at the time now. It was around nine. "What time did you get up today?"

"Six," he said sheepishly. "What? You can't drag me to bed _now._"

"No, but you can bet I will right after the party."

"Are you going to tuck me in?" he said in an innocent tone. She punched him playfully on the shoulder.

They were interrupted by a voice calling. "Emmy!"

"Harry!" she exclaimed, as he swept her in to a hug. "Dearest! I'm suffocating!" He put her down, but kept smiling. "Let me guess. They let you take the night off?"

"Naturally," he said, bowing to her. "Couldn't miss Emerald's birthday party, now, could I?" He whistled appreciatively as he looked around the room. "I've gotta admit, it's a pretty cool one. Nice job, Adonai." But despite his nice words, Emerald perceived something uneasy going on with her friend. It almost seemed that he was guilty, somehow. He gave her a warm smile and headed towards the food table.

Suddenly, a thought struck her. "Hey, wait a minute," she said to Ebony once Harry was out of earshot. "If Harry could get a night off, couldn't Violet get one too?"

He coughed. "Theoretically, yes. But Em, she doesn't want to be here."

"Oh."

"Not your party," he amended. "The entire neighbourhood. She loathes it here."

She arched an eyebrow. "Did you even ask her?"

"Well…no…."

"Ebony! You're her brother!"

"So?"

"You're impossible," she said, shaking her head.

"But in a brilliant, awesome way, right?" She sighed at him. "Besides, you haven't seen the last guests yet."

He turned her around.

She gasped.

"Father?"

"Happy birthday, Emerald," he said, giving her a small, approving smile.

"But…" Her voice couldn't function properly—she had a lump in her throat. She cleared it. "I thought you weren't going to see me for a long time…"

"I couldn't miss my little gem's birthday party, now, could I?" he said, tucking a strand of her hair on her ear and calling her by her old affectionate nickname. "Perhaps I did overreact. Don't worry, Emerald, you're to come back with me to Richmond later this evening. My, oh my. Sixteen. A young woman already—you'll have suitors come flocking from every kingdom just begging for a chance to win your hand."

"Yeah!" said the familiar voice of her little brother. He bounced up and down, holding on poor Charlie's hand. "You're going to be the most beautifulest lady in the world! With Marcy, 'course." He tugged on Charlie again. "Didja hear him speak yet, Emmy? He talks funny!"

"I certainly do not-" Charlie sighed. "Well, I suppose I do."

"Come and play with me!" the little duke ordered, as dragged Charlie along. Emerald laughed.

Then, music began playing. Emerald smiled as she recognized the tune of the butterfly dance. She felt two strong, large hands take her own. "Care to dance, daughter?" her father asked with a wink. They did—song after song after song. Emerald couldn't stop grinning. It was so _sweet _of her dad to surprise her like this; and to think that she had almost considered that Ebony had a point yesterday. This was proof, wasn't it, that her father loved her? That he was willing to drop everything and run to her side just for a party?

"May I have a turn, sir?" Harry asked politely.

"Of course," her father said, his face jovial. "Can't keep my Emerald all to myself, now, can I? We'll talk later." He let go of her hands.

"Hey, Harry," Emerald greeted him, trying not to show her irritation. It had been one of the few times that her father had actually chatted with her and listened.

"You having a good time?" he asked.

"Yeah. It was really nice of you guys to do it for me."

"It was mostly Ebony's idea, you know," he said. He was eying her carefully, for some reason. "Just about all of it. He arranged almost everything." He wasn't the most subtle at hinting, unfortunately.

Emerald frowned. "Harry, dearest, is there something you want to say to me?" Her friend _might _not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he had good instincts in what people needed to know; she had found a long time ago that underneath all that bravado and pushiness, he was a real sweetheart, at least to his friends. She'd trust him with her life—and if he thought something was important, then she knew it was serious.

Harry, for his part, was having an inner battle. "Em, if I tell you, will you promise not to tell Ebony that I did?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "You know I rarely keep secrets from Ebony."

"I know. I'm not asking you to keep it a secret. Just…don't tell him, okay?"

"Why?"

"Oh, nothing." He kept his head lowered. Earlier that day, Ebony had pulled him aside and warned him in a solemn voice that if he did anything to mar Emerald's birthday he would personally slit his throat, mince his body, feed it to the Koi, fry the Koi, and throw them to the Mystery Island Volcano. Something about him (and the fact that he actually lived in Uptown, where Harry still resided in Christmas) had scared him even worse than Masila. Ebony truly cared about Emerald, like he did. Harry supposed he could have said that warning to everyone else, but he seriously doubted it—everyone else knew to keep their mouths shut.

But if there's one thing Harry knew, it's that no good came out of thinking that his parents adored him when they didn't. They took pride in his accomplishments. They lavished him with any gift they wanted…except their company. They considered him their trophy son. Although he was slow to pick up on things, observing Em for years showed that she didn't even have that. Her father had Ekanite, a boy, and Marcy, the elder half-sister. Emerald, whether she knew it or not, was mostly ignored. Sent away. Locked up like some dirty secret.

His parents had been more blatant than others in not wanting him around. When he was a kid, he was pretty hurt by it, but within hindsight, it'd come in useful. When he had to make a big decision, where it_ really _mattered, he didn't bother to take their approval in to account. He didn't care.

Em, though…it'd been clear from the way how she looked at her father, how she ignored even Ebony as she waltzed with her parent, that she absolutely worshipped him. And in turn, Harry could see a man putting on a pleasant façade of actually caring what she had to say. If she needed to do something, _truly _and _really _needed to do something, and if it did anything to take away her father's favour or if he gave her a clear no, she would stop immediately, no matter what the cost to herself was. He couldn't let that happen.

That didn't mean he wasn't scared of the Adonai boy.

"Okay, Harry," she said, her curiosity getting the better of her. "I won't tell Ebony unless he asks. Fine?"

"Fine." He gulped nervously. "Your dad didn't come here of his own choice." Before he could chicken out, he blurted the whole thing in hushed whispers. "It was Ebony's idea, really. He got the address from Sapphire—um, Guinevere, but instead of sending it to a secretary or something, he sent it directly to your little brother. We already knew that your father did anything your brother wanted. By some miracle, it got there. Ebony promised the little guy a bag of candy if he managed to get your dad here by today. And, what do you know," he said, gesturing towards Ekanite, who was munching on some chocolates. "He did." He turned to her, worried. "Em? Are you all right?"

"I-I'm fine," she lied, stumbling back. It was then that the truth hit her like a ton of bricks. She should have known. She should've known from the very beginning. Her father never did anything like this without provocation, and even her closest friends knew that he had to get it from his pride and joy before he'd even consider it. She swallowed, trying to assess things rationally in her head, but it was no use. She closed her eyes and slumped against the wall.

Harry was glancing around nervously. If Adonai took one look at the two of them and saw that Emerald was upset, Harry had no doubt that he would put two and two together and make good on his promise. Right then, he would've given anything – anything! – to have a chance to take back his words. But damn it, he spoke without thinking again. He'd delivered one of the worst news possible to one of his best friends. In a party. On her sixteenth birthday. He wanted to bang his head against the wall and moan about what an _idiot _he was.

"I suppose I really should have known," she murmured softly. He turned to look at her. "He doesn't really love me at all, does he?"

Harry bit his lip, trying to come up with a good answer. In the end, he settled for squeezing her hand gently. "_We _do. Don't you forget it, Miss Duchess."

And she had to smile, because he was holding the hand that had the ruby ring in it. The one that symbolized exactly what he said. Then he coughed and let go, probably having enough mushiness for the day. She knew oh so well that it was hard for him to handle too many warm fuzzies. So instead, she just told him before going off by herself, "Thanks, Harry. And dearest, if Miss Woods doesn't go out with you, then I just have to say that it's her loss." She left him standing there, opening and closing his mouth like the Koi Ebony threatened to feed him to.

In truth, she was not _all _upset at this new revelation. She felt strangely relieved, all of a sudden, as if she was a bird and something that had been clipping her wings had just fallen off. Oh, she knew she still needed her father's favour. She promised her mother that she'd try to keep it, didn't she? Yet now she understood what her mom really meant; she would _need _the favour, but she didn't really have to _care _about it. Because, no matter what, her father was never going to love her as much as Marcy or Ekanite. He would never love her as much as her own mother did. And that was…fine.

She had her friends, the ones who'd always been there when she needed them, the ones who held her up and pointed the way when she felt so utterly lost. She _did_ feel sad about the disillusionment – after all, her father's approval was a main driving force in her life in her previous sixteen years – but the desperate need for it was already ebbing away. Bittersweet, really, to find this out now.

It was time to focus on the people she really did matter to, without worrying about what her dad thought.

She smiled. This could be kind of fun.

"Hey, Em!" She turned around to see Ebony walking towards her. He still looked slightly sleepy; but it'd seem he had recently gotten an extra cup of coffee, because he was still standing. "You okay? You looked kind of funny when you were walking away from Harry." Suddenly, he stood up straight. "Did he _say _anything upsetting to you?"

"Not really," she replied. "Just a few observations he had about my family, is all."

"…Oh. That's okay then." He yawned.

"Ebony, go to sleep. I'll be fine."

"But it's your birthday. I should be here for you."

"You've always been there for me," she said, barely above a whisper. For a second, she thought he hadn't heard her.

Then he smiled. "What are friends for?"

There it was, that word again. _Friends. _She tried not to let that bother her (friends was _good_) and grabbed him by the shoulders, steering him. "Come on. We're going to sing happy birthday, we will eat cake, and then you're going to your room and take a good, long nap. I will personally escort you to you there, Mr Adonai."

"Oh?" A sly chuckle came from his throat. "And what are you planning to _do_ in my room, Miss Navarette?"A rush of heat flushed in her cheeks, and she shoved him. He held up his hands in surrender. "Kidding! Kidding! Jeez, Emmy, I'm half-asleep. Take it easy on me."

"Sort of hard, with you being so _annoying._"

"Yeah, yeah." He grinned at her. "We've sure grown up a lot, huh? Seemed just like yesterday when I was dragging you to my house for cookies."

"It was brownies."

"You sure?"

"Yep."

"Gah. The lack of sleep's getting to my brain. Better go before I start raving like a lunatic." He took her arm, like he always did, and they ran off.

It was time for a new adventure to begin.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I hope you've enjoyed this super-long chapter, because I will now take a short break from writing HJ; so prepare yourself for a wait. The song above is "White Houses" by Vanessa Carlton. By the way, this is not a songfic. I just added that to put in the mood, and the lyrics on the first verse matched, not the other way around. **

**To be honest, it was kind of a last minute decision. I was going to put in "Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen" by Neil Sedaka (I mean, come on! It was created in what, 1992, and it had 'teenage dream' in it. Plus, I danced to it when I was little). But I decided it wouldn't fit 'cause it was so cheery. If you have time, though, you should give it a listen in Youtube. **

**This overlaps with Hanso's week 1, by the way. **


	54. AN

'Lo, all.

Like Ame, I've decided to pack things up here and revise. I know it's kind of ridiculous when we're already so far, but I can honestly say I _can't _move on forward. I've twisted the storylines so much that there's no way I can get out of them short of a _deux ex machina, _and the characters are just plain confusing.

Don't worry; when I mean I'm rewriting everything, I mean I'm rewriting **everything. **I'm probably going to delete some of the stuff in my profile, too. I promise, it will not be just a rehash. New characters will be introduced, the ones we already know will get more depth and have more interesting relationships, and there'll be more fascinating storylines. I've even changed some of the format, too, so it'll suit Hanso's style.

So, yeah. Check out the first chapter in my profile. Thank you so, so much for sticking me this far. I love you guys! :)


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